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THE    LI 


OF    THE 


CHRISTIAN 


BY 


REV.  G.  CAMPBELL  MORGAN,  D.  D. 


New  York       Chicago       Toronto 

Fleming  H.  Revell  Company 

London     and     Edinburgh 
1904. 


COPYRIGHT   1904 

BY 

REV.  G.  CAMPBELL  MORGAN,  D.  D. 


Dedicated  to 
my  friendy  Albert  Swift 


CONTENTS 


The  Life  of  the  Christian  : — 

I     Its  Nature        .                     .          •          . 

7 

II     Its  Sustenance 

.       27 

III     Its  Expression             .          •          •          . 

.       45 

IV     Its  Consciousness        .          •          • 

.          .          .       63 

V     Its  Testing        .          •          .          • 

81 

VI     Its  Value           .... 

.       97 

THE  MASTER'S  HAND. 
Phil.  i.  21. 

"To  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  and  yet  the  days 

Are  days  of  toiling  men; 
We  rise  at  morn,  and  tread  the  beaten  ways, 

And  lay  us  down  again. 

How  is  it  that  this  base,  unsightly  life 

Can  yet  be  Christ  alone? 
Our  common  need,  and  weariness,  and  strife, 

While  common  days  wear  on? 

Then  saw  I  how  before  a  Master  wise 

A  shapeless  stone  was  set; 
He  said,  'Therein  a  form  of  beauty  lies 

Though  none  behold  it  yet.' 

•When  all  beside  it  shall  be  hewn  away. 

That  glorious  shape  shall  stand, 
In  beauty  of  the  everlasting  day, 

Of  the  unsullied  land.' 

Thus  is  it  with  the  homely  life  around. 

There  hidden,  Christ  abides; 
Still  by  the  single  eye  for  ever  found 

That  seeketh  none  beside. 

When  hewn  and  shaped  till  self  no  more  is  found, 

Self,  ended  at  Thy  Cross; 
The  precious  freed  from  all  the  vile  around, 

No  gain,  but  blessed  loss. 

Then  Christ  alone  remains— the  former  things 

Forever  passed  away; 

And  unto  Him  the  heart  in  gladness  sings 

All  through  the  weary  day. 

— H.  Suso. 

"Hymns  of  Ter  Steegen,  Suso  and  Others." 
5 


THE    LIFE    OF    THE   CHRISTIAN— ITS 
NATURE. 


"Thy  nature,  gracious  Lord  impart! 

Come  quickly  from  above 
Write  Thy  new  name  upon  my  heart 
Thy  new,  best  name  of  love." 

— Wesley. 

"Every  fragment  of  moral  beauty  in  a  regenerated  life  is  a 
mirroring  of  a  little  fragment,  at  least,  of  the  image  of  God  on 
which  our  eyes  may  gaze.  Every  true  Christian  life  is  in  an 
imperfect  degree,  and  yet  truly,  a  new  incarnation;  'Christ  liveth 
in  me.'  "—J.  R.  Miller. 

"For  Thou  to  me  art  all  in  all, 
My  honour  and  my  wealth. 
My  heart's  desire,  my  body's  strength, 
My  soul's  eternal  health. 

****** 
O  Jesus!  Jesus!  sweetest  Lord! 

What  art  Thou  not  to  me? 
Each  hour  brings  joy  before  unknown, 

Each  day  new  liberty! 

What  limit  is  there  to  thee,  love  ? 

Thy  flight  where  wilt  thou  stay? 
On !  on !  our  Lord  is  sweeter  far 

Today  than  yesterday. 

Oh  love  of  Jesus !  Blessed  love ! 

So  will  it  ever  be; 
Time  cannot  hold  thy  wondrous  growth. 

No,  nor  eternity!" 

— F.  W.  Faber. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    LIFE    0^    THE    CHRISTIAN — ITS    NATURE. 

"And  Barnabas  went  forth  to  Tarsus  to  seek  for  Saul;  and 
wtien  he  had  found  him,  he  brought  him  unto  Antioch.  And  it 
came  to  pass,  that  even  for  a  whole  year  they  were  gathered 
together  with  the  church,  and  taught  much  people;  and  that  the 
disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch."    Acts  xi.  25-26. 

"And  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  With  but  little  persuasion  thou 
wouldest  fain  make  me  a  Christian."    Acts  xxvi.  28. 

"But  if  a  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  let  him  not  be  ashamed; 
but  let  him  glorify  God  in  this  name."    I  Peter  iv.  16. 

"The  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch." 
*'With  but  little  persuasion  thou  wouldest  fain  make  me  a 
Christian."  "If  a  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  let  him 
not  be  ashamed ;  but  let  him  glorify  God  in  this  name." 

These  are  the  only  occasions  where  the  word  "Chris- 
tian" occurs  in  the  New  Testament.  This  word,  occur- 
ring so  rarely,  and  gradually  passing  into  common  use, 
has  become  almost  commonplace.  Yet  the  word  in  itself 
has  a  deep  significance  and  suggestiveness. 

Seeing  therefore  that  with  the  passing  of  the  centuries 
the  word  has  now  come  to  be  so  widely  used,  it  is  inter- 
esting and  valuable  to  go  back  to  the  beginnings,  and 
consider  what  it  meant  in  the  early  days. 

The  name  by  which  the  followers  of  Christ  were  most 
generally  known  at  that  period  was  that  of  disciples. 

9 


XO  THH  LIFB  OF  THU  CHRISTIAN 

They  also  spoke  of  themselves  as  believers,  as  brethren 
in  Christ,  as  those  who  were  of  "the  Way."  But  they 
did  not  speak  of  themselves  as  Christians.  The  first  time 
the  word  Christian  is  used,  it  is  in  the  way  of  descrip- 
tion. It  has  been  said  that  these  men  of  Antioch,  pro- 
verbially witty  and  clever,  created  this  as  a  term  of 
opprobrium,  a  kind  of  nickname.  I  am  not  at  all  sure 
of  the  correctness  of  that  view.  It  was  certainly  a  name 
given  to  these  followers  of  Christ  by  those  who  were 
without.  The  disciples  did  not  call  themselves  Chris- 
tians. They  "were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch." 
The  people  of  Antioch  observed  these  people,  took  note 
of  them  as  to  their  conversation,  and  their  habits,  and 
said,  They  are  Christians.  Those  not  themselves  Chris- 
tians were  the  first  to  apply  the  name  to  the  followers  of 
Christ,  and  it  was  intended  to  describe  them. 

The  next  occurrence  of  the  word  is  where  a  king  used 
it,  in  a  tone  of  supercilious  contempt.  The  Revision  has 
altered  the  text,  and  corrected  a  very  popular  misconcep- 
tion. Agrippa  did  not  for  a  moment  mean  to  say  that 
Paul  very  nearly  persuaded  him  to  be  a  Christian.  On 
the  contrary,  noticing  the  earnestness  of  Paul,  and  the 
aggressiveness  of  his  spirit,  and  having  listened  to  his 
argument,  in  disdain  for  him  the  king  said,  "With  but 
little  persuasion  thou  wouldest  fain  make  me  a  Christian." 

Only  once  in  the  New  Testament  is  the  word  "Chris- 
tian" used  of  Christian  people  by  a  Christian.  Peter 
made  use  of  it  in  his  epistle,  and  yet  even  here,  if  the 
whole  context  be  read,  it  will  be  found  that  in  all  proba- 
bility he  was  quoting  from  others.  Writing  of  the  fact 
that  believers  suffer  persecution  on  account  of  their  pure 
life,  he  declared  that  those  outside  would  wonder  that 


ITS  NATURE  11 

they  did  not  run  to  every  "excess  of  riot,"  but  he  added, 
"if  any  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  let  him  glorify  God  in 
this  name;"  and  thus  it  is  seen  that  the  expression  was 
probably  a  quotation  from  the  language  of  those  outside. 
If  it  was  intended  that  opprobrium  should  attach  to  it, 
then  the  apostle  charged  them  not  to  be  ashamed  of  it, 
but  rather  to  glorify  God  in  it.  Let  the  name  be  used, 
and  its  true  significance  revealed. 

These  are  the  only  occurrences  in  the  New  Testament, 
and  yet  the  word  has  taken  hold  upon  us,  and  now 
throughout  the  world  the  followers  of  Christ  are  spoken 
of  as  Christians.  Thus  the  word  has  come  to  have  a 
far  wider  meaning  than  it  had  when  the  men  of  Antioch 
used  it  to  describe  the  disciples,  when  Agrippa  used  it 
in  supercilious  contempt,  or  when  Peter  used  it  recogni- 
zing that  it  was  being  made  use  of  as  a  term  of  reproach. 

If  we  examine  these  occasions  of  New  Testament  use, 
we  shall  find  that  all  the  values  that  attach  to  the  name 
today  are  to  be  found  in  them  in  germ. 

First  let  us  examine  these  instances  carefully,  in  order 
that  we  may  see  how  it  was  used  at  the  beginning;  and 
then  let  us  go  behind  these  early  uses  of  the  name,  and 
find  out  what  it  really  meant.  Thus  I  think  we  shall  be 
able  to  understand  what  the  nature  of  the  Christian  life 
really  is. 

The  fact  that  the  term  was  first  applied  to  the  disciples 
by  outsiders  is  in  itself  suggestive.  Why  did  the  men  of 
Antioch  call  these  people  Christians?  There  can  be  but 
one  answer,  a  simple  answer,  and  yet  including  the  whole 
fact.  They  saw  that  these  people  had  been  with  the 
Christ  in  spirit,  if  not  in  actual  personality,  and  that  they 
had  learned  of  Him.     They  talked  of  Christ,  lived  for 


12  THB  UFB  OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

Christ,  worked  for  Christ.  They  had  caught  His  Spirit, 
they  were  occupied  with  His  business,  and  were  mani- 
festing Him  in  character  and  conduct;  and  the  men  of 
Antioch  said,  These  people  are  Christians,  men  connected 
with  Christ  in  some  way. 

For  a  moment  think  of  the  story  of  the  history  of 
Antioch.  This  was  God's  new  starting  point.  The  church 
at  Jerusalem  had  failed  to  obey  the  law.  It  had  become 
self-centred,  conceited,  and  self-satisfied,  interested  only 
in  the  movements  emanating  from  its  authority.  This 
church  was  the  most  dire  and  dismal  failure,  never  real- 
izing its  own  privilege  and  power.  Obedience  to  the 
Master's  plain  injunction  to  begin  at  Jerusalem  and  to  go 
to  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth,  was  only  realized  as 
they  were  driven  out  from  Jerusalem  by  persecution. 
God  has  always  been  abandoning  an  ordained  channel 
in  order  to  take  some  new  one,  that  His  work  and  pur- 
pose may  be  fulfilled.  Barnabas  found  Saul,  brought 
him  to  Antioch,  and  there  they  spent  a  whole  year  teach- 
ing the  disciples,  and  it  was  at  this  place  that  the  men 
of  Antioch  named  these  people  Christians. 

The  relationship  must  have  been  marked  and  positive. 
What  they  were,  how  they  lived,  and  what  was  evidently 
the  impulse  of  their  life  constrained  outsiders  to  name 
them  Christians.  Coming  from  outsiders,  the  name  is  of 
greater  value.  The  force  of  this  fact  may  best  be  felt 
by  asking,  how  many  persons  would  name  us  Christians 
if  we  did  not  in  so  many  words  declare  ourselves  to  be 
such. 

The  supreme  fact  evident  in  the  lives  of  these  people 
was  that  they  had  to  do  with  Christ,  and  so  the  men  of 
Antioch  called  them  Christians.    Therefore  the  name  first 


ITS  NATURE  13 

signified  that  these  people  manifested  in  outward  hfe 
their  relationship  to  Christ. 

Passing  to  the  next  occasion  of  the  use  of  the  word, 
we  find  ourselves  in  the  presence  of  a  familiar  and  yet 
beautiful  picture.  Paul  with  the  chain  of  his  imprison- 
ment upon  him,  is  arguing  his  case  before  Agrippa.  It 
is  impossible  to  read  that  argument  without  discover- 
ing the  fact  that  Paul  was  far  more  anxious  to 
bring  Agrippa  face  to  face  with  his  Master,  than  he 
was  to  defend  himself  as  in  the  presence  of  Agrippa.  I 
do  not  say  that  there  is  no  defence  of  himself,  for  it  is 
indeed  a  most  remarkable  one,  showing  Paul's  mastery 
of  the  law  of  his  people,  and  his  understanding  of  the 
technicalities  thereof.  But  surging  through  all,  is  the 
great  passion  of  his  heart  so  to  present  Christ,  and  tell 
the  story  of  his  own  life,  as  to  compel  men  into  a  like 
loyalty  to  his  beloved  Lord,  to  capture  men  for  Christ. 
This  is  what  impressed  Agrippa.  He  saw  most  evidently 
in  the  passion  of  the  man  as  he  talked,  that  his  intention 
was  to  press  him  toward  the  Christ;  and  at  last,  looking 
upon  the  eloquent  and  earnest  man,  he  said,  "With  but 
little  persuasion  thou  wouldest  fain  make  me  a  Chris- 
tian." Agrippa  was  a  remarkable  man,  learned  in  all 
matters  of  his  people,  acquainted  with  the  prophets,  as 
Paul  indicates,  and  yet  a  man  whose  deeds  must  be  name- 
less, a  depraved  dilletante,  amusing  himself  for  an  odd 
hour  with  a  notable  case  at  law.  But  feeling  the  glow 
and  fervor  and  enthusiasm  of  Paul  he  exclaimed,  "With 
but  little  persuasion  thou  wouldest  fain  make  me  a  Chris- 
tian." He  was  astonished,  surprised,  perhaps  startled, 
but  supremely  disdainful.  In  this  use  of  the  word  we 
have  a  further  revelation  of  what  a  Christian  is.    He  is 


14  TUB  UFB   OF   THB  CHRISTIAN 

not  only  a  disciple  of  Christ,  himself  loyal  to  Christ,  his 
own  life  centering  about  Christ;  but  one  whose  passion 
and  purpose  is  to  bring  men  to  Christ,  one  who  so 
speaks  of  Christ  as  to  recommend  Him,  and  to  constrain 
other  people  toward  Him.  It  would  perhaps  be  difficult 
to  find  a  more  superlative  instance.  This  man  Agrippa, 
with  no  intention  or  thought  of  Christianity  as  something 
to  be  impressed  with,  having  not  the  slightest  leaning 
toward  Christ,  simply  listening  to  this  prisoner,  at  last 
discovers  what  he  is  trying  to  do;  and  recognizes,  all 
unknowingly,  one  of  the  sure  signs  of  a  Christian,  that 
of  desire  to  make  someone  else  a  Christian  too. 

We  have  thus  in  the  second  place  the  thought  of  propa- 
gandism.  First,  personal  discipleship ;  and  then  the  at- 
tempt to  constrain  some  others  to  discipleship. 

Then  passing  to  the  last  instance  we  have  still  another 
suggestion.  Peter's  use  of  the  word  suggests  that  a 
Christian  is  one  who  suffers  the  reproaches  attached  to 
Christ.  This  is  the  whole  argument  of  the  section  of  the 
epistle  from  which  the  quotation  is  made.  The  apostle 
recognizes  that  there  must  be  suffering  and  reproach  for 
the  name  of  Christ.  Writing  to  believers,  Peter  says  to 
them  in  effect.  You  are  suffering  reproach  for  the  name 
of  Christ.  You  are  living  in  the  midst  of  impurity  the 
life  of  the  pure;  and  the  quality  of  your  purity  is  not 
the  quality  of  merely  ethical  morality,  but  the  purity  of 
separateness  from  all  the  things  that  are  evil.  Chris- 
tians therefore  are  those  who  are  separated  from  evil 
in  thought,  in  desire,  in  action ;  and  who,  because  of  that 
separation,  will  have  to  suffer  reproach. 

Thus  we  find  in  the  use  of  the  word,  fundamental 
truths  concerning  the  nature  of  the  life  of  the  Christian. 


ITS  NATURE  IS 

First,  the  Christian  is  a  disciple  of  Christ,  one  whose 
whole  life  centres  in  Christ,  and  whose  life  circles  about 
Christ,  so  that  it  becomes  manifested  to  the  world  that 
that  person  is  a  follower  of  Jesus  Christ.  Secondly,  the 
Christian  is  one  who  is  not  merely  himself  loyal  to  Christ, 
but  into  whose  heart  there  has  entered  a  great  passion 
of  desire  to  win  others  for  Christ.  In  the  third  place, 
the  Christian  is  one  who,  because  of  that  devotion  and 
loyalty  to  Christ,  and  the  separation  which  it  entails  from 
the  evil  of  the  age,  and  the  methods  and  the  maxims  of 
men,  will  suffer  reproach  for  Christ,  will  be  a  puzzle  to 
those  about  him,  utterly  misunderstood  by  them ;  and  suf- 
fering reproach,  will  glory  in  it,  rejoice  in  the  midst  of 
it,  counting  the  reproach  of  Christ  as  being  of  more 
value  than  all  the  treasures  men  hold  most  dear. 

These  are  but  the  statements  of  the  outward  and  evi- 
dent facts.  Behind  them  lies  that  which  is  causative.  The 
profounder  question  is,  What  makes  a  Christian  to  be 
such  a  person  as  this?  It  is  well  sometimes  to  measure 
ourselves  by  the  outside  vision,  but  it  is  not  always 
safe,  if  that  is  the  only  method.  Let  us  consider  this 
deeper  fact.  What  made  these  people  at  Antioch  such 
people  that  even  the  men  of  Antioch  called  them  Chris- 
tians? What  made  Paul  so  enthusiastic  in  the  declara- 
tion of  his  message,  that  even  Agrippa  felt  the  constraint 
upon  him  toward  Christ,  even  though  he  sneeringly  put 
it  away?  What  is  it  that  makes  people  so  separate  from 
evil,  and  so  devoted  to  Christ,  that  they  suffer  reproach, 
and  are  content  to  suffer  and  glory  in  the  same?  The 
answer  to  these  questions  is  to  be  found  in  the  declara- 
tion of  the  fact  that  the  secret  lying  behind  all  these 
external  manifestations  is  that  of  Christ  Himself  formed 


16  THB  LIFB  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

in  the  believer.  His  living  presence  constrains  to  loyalty, 
creates  compassion,  and  constitutes  the  cause  and  com- 
fort of  the  sufferings. 

No  person  is  a  Christian  simply  by  contemplating 
Christ  from  the  outside,  and  attempting  to  imitate  Him. 
No  study  of  the  Christian  fact,  and  acceptance  of  it 
intellectually,  will  ever  be  sufficient  for  the  realization 
of  the  ideals  suggested  by  the  New  Testament  use  of 
the  word.  Not  by  imitation,  nor  by  intellectual  assent 
to  all  the  truths  of  Christianity  does  any  one  become  a 
Christian.  If  these  three  ideals  are  fulfilled  it  is  because 
Christ  Himself,  the  living,  present,  eternal  Christ  has 
taken  possession  of  the  inner  life,  and  from  that  centre 
directs,  controls,  suggests,  and  thus  reveals  Himself. 

A  Christian  then,  is  a  revelation  of  Christ,  because  the 
Christ  within  shines  through  the  whole  external  life. 

There  may  be  many  who  think  of  themselves  as  Chris- 
tians who  are  yet  far  from  the  fulfillment  of  this  ideal. 
There  is  a  broad  sense  in  which  they  are  correct.  For 
instance,  we  speak  of  Christian  nations,  and  of  course 
there  is  a  sense  in  which  this  is  a  correct  description, 
inasmuch  as  the  dominant  religious  idea  of  certain  nations 
is  Christian.  Yet  as  to  deepest  meaning  it  is  a  degrada- 
tion of  the  word  to  call  any  existing  nation  Christian. 
If  the  individual  units  composing  the  nation  are  con- 
sidered, the  larger  proportion  of  people  are  not  even 
avowedly  Christian.  And  even  taking  the  professing 
Church,  it  is  very  questionable  whether  a  large  number 
can  truly  be  described  as  Christian.  There  is  no  Chris- 
tian nation  save  that  holy  nation,  which  is  at  the  same 
time  ''an  elect  race,  a  royal  priesthood,  ...  a  people  for 
God's  own  possession."    It  is  an  awful  and  terrible  truth 


ITS  NATURB  17 

that  the  line  of  demarcation  between  the  Church  and  the 
world  has  been  almost  obHterated.  Many  are  Christians 
today  because  they  are  not  Mohammedans  or  Hebrews. 

A  true  Christian  is  one  indwelt  by,  and  dominated  by 
Christ,  so  that  Christ  is  able  to  reveal  Himself  through 
that  one.  Remembering  the  great  internal  force  of  the 
indwelling  Christ,  directing,  controlling,  suggesting,  and 
thus  expressing  Himself  through  His  disciples,  it  be- 
comes evident  that  when  the  men  of  Antioch  looked 
they  saw  Christ.  That  man  is  a  Christian,  a  man  of  one 
idea,  said  they.  He  thinks  of  Christ,  he  speaks  of  Christ, 
he  sings  of  Christ,  he  lives  for  Christ,  he  is  like  Christ, 
he  is  manifesting  Christ,  he  is  a  Christian.  Wherever 
the  life  is  under  the  control  of  Christ  it  is  being  trans- 
formed into  the  likeness  of  Christ.  We  cannot  be  Chris- 
tians without  Christ  manifesting  Himself  in  us.  If  He 
shall  command  us  to  love  our  enemies,  and  if  in  the 
power  of  His  indwelling  might,  we  begin  to  do  it,  then 
we  immediately  manifest  Him  through  such  action. 

The  Master  said,  "I  am  the  Light  of  the  world,"  but 
He  also  said  to  His  disciples,  ^'Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world."  The  only  way  in  which  a  Christian  is  the  light 
of  the  world  is  by  the  Christ  life  being  his  life,  and  so 
shining  through  him.  It  is  not  a  case  of  reflection 
merely.  It  is  the  actual  outshining  of  the  Christ  life 
within.  The  men  of  Antioch  named  these  men  Christians, 
not  merely  because  they  were  Christ's  men  and  Christ's 
women  in  the  sense  of  property,  but  because  being  under 
the  immediate  government  of  the  indwelling  Christ,  He 
was  revealed  through  their  life  and  service. 

So  also  with  the  second  phase  of  suggestion.  Look 
again  at  the  man  standing  before  the  king,  wearing  his 


18  THE  LIFE   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

chain,  and  pleading  his  cause.  What  is  it  makes  this 
man  so  much  in  earnest,  so  persuasive  as  he  tells  the 
story  of  his  own  experience?  It  is  impossible  to  con- 
template him  without  seeing  that  the  indwelling  Saviour 
looks  through  his  eyes,  and  loves  Agrippa  through  his 
heart,  and  longs  after  him  through  his  desire.  Paul's 
passion  to  persuade  Agrippa  is  Christ's  passion  to  save 
him.  It  was  Christ  in  Paul  who  argued,  and  spoke,  and 
constrained,  and  manifested  tenderness.  It  was  under 
the  spell  of  Christ  in  Paul  that  Agrippa  passed,  when 
resisting  that  spell  he  said,  "With  but  little  persuasion 
thou  wouldest  fain  make  me  a  Christian." 

We  lack  here,  even  more  than  in  the  first  respect.  We 
have  come  to  speak  of  winning  souls  as  the  business 
of  evangelists.  While  I  still  believe  God  gives  some 
men  special  gifts  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  equipping  them  for 
the  work  of  evangelists,  every  Christian  ought  to  be  an 
evangelist,  if  the  evangel  has  taken  possession  of  the  life. 
The  first  business  of  every  Christian  is  that  of  drawing 
others  to  Jesus  Christ,  by  a  great  burning  passion  bring- 
ing men  into  the  liberty,  the  love,  the  light,  the  joy,  until 
even  Agrippa,  the  dilettante,  and  debased,  feels  the  draw- 
ing toward  Christ. 

And  yet  once  more.  Why  is  it  that  men  suffer  reproach 
for  Christ  ?  It  is  the  reproach  of  Christ  that  they  suffer. 
Do  not  minimize  that  statement.  It  is  not  merely  reproach 
for  Christ,  it  is  the  reproach  of  Christ.  That  very  separa- 
tion from  evil  which  stirred  enmity  in  the  heart  of  men 
against  Christ  is  the  condition  of  life  which  creates  re- 
proach for  the  believer.  The  purity  which  contradicts 
impurity,  the  light  which  reveals  darkness,  the  separate- 


ITS  NATURE  19 

ness  to  God  which  is  a  perpetual  rebuke  to  rebellion 
against  God ;  this,  which  in  the  life  of  Jesus  issued  in  the 
Cross,  being  reproduced  in  the  life  of  the  believer,  is 
the  occasion  of  reproach  and  suffering.  There  is  a 
morality  today  that  makes  its  boast,  and  claims  to  stand 
side  by  side  with  Christianity,  yet  which  is  no  more  akin 
to  the  purity  of  Jesus  Christ  than  the  feeble  rushlight  is 
to  the  sunlight.  There  is  a  morality  which  is  merely 
morality  conditioned  by  the  existence  of  the  policeman, 
but  it  cannot  be  compared  with  the  purity  of  Jesus  Christ. 
His  was  the  purity  of  eternal  life,  spiritual  consciousness. 
His  was  not  the  purity  which  drew  Him  away  from  men. 
It  was  a  purity  so  positive,  and  high,  and  spiritual,  a 
purity  that  consisted  of  such  intimate  intercourse  with 
God  and  heaven  and  eternity,  that  He  could  talk  to  publi- 
cans and  sinners  and  harlots,  and  maintain  His  upright- 
ness and  integrity  and  reputation;  even  when  a  few 
cynical  and  critical  Pharisees,  whose  whole  idea  of  right- 
eousness was  that  which  consisted  in  externality,  said  of 
Him,  "This  Man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with  them," 
by  which  they  meant  to  say.  If  He  touches  pitch,  He 
will  be  contaminated.  lYet  the  general  concensus  of 
opinion  is  that  He  stands  alone  in  His  purity,  a  purity 
separate  from  evil,  that  enabled  Him  to  touch  all  the 
common  places  of  life. 

These  men  to  whom  Peter  wrote  were  living  in  that 
realm  of  purity,  measuring  everything  by  the  standards 
of  eternity,  bringing  all  the  details  of  life  into  the  light 
of  the  infinite,  until  there  breathed  through  their  every, 
day  living  the  very  genius  of  spiritual  and  eternal  verities. 
!^d  no  ene  can  hegia  to  lixe  like  that  SYifliout  suffering 


20  THB  IIFB   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

reproach.  When  there  comes  into  the  Hfe  the  aloofness 
that  sets  men  away  from  the  world,  enabling  them  to 
touch  it  only  to  deliver  it,  then  they  will  be  marked  off 
as  Puritanical,  a  little  peculiar.  The  age  of  persecution 
has  not  passed,  though  the  external  manifestations  of 
persecution  may  be  different. 

So  through  all  these  illustrations  this  is  seen,  that  the 
Christian  is  one  in  whom  Christ  dwells,  and  through 
whom  Christ  lives  and  works  and  speaks.  The  indwelling 
Christ  compels  the  loyalty  of  life  and  will,  and  a  Chris- 
tian is  such  because  his  whole  life  circles  around  the 
indwelling  Christ,  and  his  whole  heart  is  filled  with 
Christ's  compassion,  and  his  whole  life  is  poured  forth 
in  sacrificial  service. 

A  Christian  is  a  Christ  one.  That  may  not  be  correct 
from  the  standard  of  etymology,  and  yet  it  is  the  true 
meaning  of  the  word.  A  Christ  one  is  one  in  whom 
Christ,  the  spiritual  and  the  eternal,  repeats  the  human 
life  which  He  lived  and  manifested  in  the  world.  With 
Christ  as  the  indwelling  Lord,  the  Christian  is  a  disciple. 
With  Christ  as  the  indwelling  compassion,  the  Christian 
is  a  worker.  With  Christ  as  the  indwelling  purity,  the 
Christian  must  bear  His  reproach,  and  yet  glory  in  it  as 
the  highest  honour. 

To  sum  up.  The  nature  of  the  Christian  life  is  Christ's 
life  taking  hold  upon  all  the  inner  life  of  man,  changing, 
dominating,  impulsing.  Or  again,  a  Christian  is  one  in 
whom  Christ  is  formed,  through  whom  Christ  is  mani- 
fested, with  whom  Christ  cooperates,  and  to  whom 
Christ  grants  a  fellowship  in  His  sufferings. 

All  these  truths  lie  in  germ  in  the  incidental — I  do  not 


ITS  NATURE  21 

think  accidental — use  of  the  word  "Christian"  in  the  New 
Testament.  Granted  the  primal  fact  of  the  indwelling 
Christ,  the  three  facts  suggested  always  result.  The 
indwelling  Christ  masters  the  life,  and  reveals  Himself 
through  the  mastered  life.  The  indwelling  Christ  creates 
the  new  desire,  the  new  aspiration,  the  new  passion,  that 
drives  the  one  indwelt  along  the  path  of  service.  The 
indwelling  Christ  gives  new  satisfaction  in  purity,  and 
makes  it  impossible  for  the  one  indwelt  to  share  in  the 
things  of  evil,  and  so  brings  upon  that  one  the  very 
reproach  that  rested  upon  the  Lord  Himself. 

It  is  seen  therefore,  and  I  do  not  think  we  can  be  too 
careful  in  emphasizing  this,  that  Christian  life  is  neither 
human  imitation  of  Christ,  nor  correct  intellectual 
positions  concerning  Christ.  Neither  is  it  a  cult,  or  a 
system  of  thought.  I  may  attempt  to  imitate  Christ  very 
sincerely  through  long  years,  and  yet  never  be  a  Chris- 
tian. I  may  hold  absolutely  correct  intellectual  views  con- 
cerning Christ  as  a  Person,  and  His  power,  and  yet  never 
be  a  Christian.  It  is  possible  for  me  to  admire  Him, 
and  to  attempt  with  all  the  power  of  my  life  to  imitate 
Him,  and  yet  never  realize  Him.  Yet  let  it  be  speedily 
added,  no  one  has  ever  attempted  this  without  learning 
the  impossibility  of  the  task.  Any  person  continuing 
long  in  an  attempt  to  imitate,  merely  proves  by  such 
action  that  the  Christ  has  never  really  been  seen.  To  see 
Him  in  all  the  perfection  of  His  character,  and  the  radiant 
splendour  of  His  personality  is  at  once  to  recognize  the 
absolute  futility  of  all  attempts  to  imitate  Him. 

Neither  is  the  nature  of  the  Christian  life  that  of  hold- 
ing the  truth  about  Christ.     It  is  quite  possible  for  a 


22  THB  LIFE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

person  to  believe  most  sincerely  in  His  Deity,  and  in  the 
fact  of  His  atoning  work ;  and  moreover,  in  the  necessity 
for  regeneration;  and  yet  never  be  submitted  to  His 
Lordship,  never  to  have  personal  share  in  the  work  of 
His  atonement,  never  to  be  born  again. 

Nothing  short  of  the  coming  into  the  life  of  the  indi- 
vidual of  Christ  Himself  constitutes  a  Christian. 

If  Jesus  Christ  is  external  to  your  life  there  will  be 
moments  when  the  world  will  not  see  Him  and  hear  Him, 
and  will  not  know  you  belong  to  Him.  But  if  Christ 
be  in  you,  living,  reigning  there  absolutely,  and  you  are 
obeying  Him,  there  never  will  be  a  moment  when  the 
truth  will  not  be  evident.  You  cannot  hide  Christ  if 
once  He  comes  within.  If  the  light  be  there,  it  simply 
must  shine.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  long  continued 
secret  discipleship.  Nicodemus  will  be  a  secret  disciple, 
and  so  will  Joseph  of  Arimathsea,  but  when  the  crisis 
comes,  and  all  the  rest  have  run  away,  they  will  beg  the 
Master's  body,  and  bear  it  tenderly  to  the  burial. 

There  is  an  application  of  a  saying  of  Jesus,  which 
while  not  the  immediate  one  intended,  is  nevertheless  true 
to  the  principle  involved.  "Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall 
into  the  earth  and  die,  it  abideth  by  itself  alone;  but  if 
it  die,  it  beareth  much  fruit."  There  is  of  course  no 
doubt  that  Christ  here  referred  to  Himself,  and  to  the 
fact  of  His  approaching  death.  Take  the  figure,  how- 
ever, and  think  of  it  for  a  moment  quite  apart  from  its 
setting,  and  as  revealing  principles  at  once  simple  and 
sublime.  In  a  corn  of  wheat  there  is  the  very  principle 
of  life,  and  therefore  the  possibility  of  a  great  harvest. 
It  lies  within  the  grain  in  potentiality,  but  there  can  be 


ITS  NATURB  23 

no  harvest  until  that  grain  is  sown,  and  passing  through 
death,  it  emerges  into  the  manifold  life.  Two  things  are 
required,  first  there  must  be  the  grain,  but  secondly  the 
grain  must  be  planted.  If  there  is  to  be  a  harvest  of 
Christian  character  in  individual  life,  there  must  first  be 
the  grain,  containing  the  life  principle.  It  is  not  enough 
to  have  the  germ  principle  in  mind  and  intellect.  It  must 
be  planted  in  the  life.  Christ  must  be  formed  within 
by  the  communication  of  Himself,  first  in  the  realm  of 
identification  with  His  death  on  the  Cross,  and  then  in 
the  spacious  glory  of  union  with  Him  in  the  triumph  of 
His  resurrection. 

Here  we  have  reached  the  realm  of  mystery,  and  it  is 
quite  conceivable  that  some  enquiring  heart  will  say,  How 
can  these  things  be?  By  such  question  two  things  may 
be  intended.  If  the  question  be  as  to  what  are  the  condi- 
tions upon  which  these  things  may  be,  it  can  be  answered. 
If  on  the  other  hand,  the  question  ask  the  explanation 
of  the  process  of  the  Spirit  in  the  communication  of  the 
Christ  life,  there  is  no  answer.  None  can  perfectly  under- 
stand that  act  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  which  He  com- 
municates to  the  individual  soul  the  very  Christ  life 
itself.  That  it  is  done  upon  certain  conditions  is  how- 
ever absolutely  certain,  and  moreover,  the  conditions  are 
clearly  stated.  In  that  moment  when  the  soul  submits 
to  the  claim  of  Christ,  Christ  is  formed  within  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Directly  there  is  submission  to  Him  as  the 
absolute  Lord  of  life,  and  trust  reposed  in  Him  for  the 
putting  away  of  sin,  and  for  the  communication  of  life; 
then,  by  a  process  utterly  beyond  the  explanation  of  men, 
the  Spirit  communicates  Christ's  life,  and  Christ  begins 


24  THB  LIPB  OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

to  live  and  reign  and  work  in  the  soul  of  the  submitted 
and  trusting  one.  There  can  be  no  simulation  of  this 
life  of  Christ.  It  must  be  Christ  in  us.  Holiness  is  not 
it.  It  is  Him!  Purity  is  not  an  abstract  quality  com- 
municated as  apart  from  Christ.  It  is  Christ  in  the  life, 
"breathing  through  the  pulses  of  desire,  His  coolness  and 
His  balm,"  quenching  passion's  fires,  and  lighting  the  new 
fires  of  God,  and  of  holy  aspiration. 

Now  are  you  inclined  to  say,  That  does  not  satisfy  me  ? 
I  cannot  be  a  Christian  because  I  cannot  understand  the 
process?  Then  I  would  remind  you  that  you  are  asking 
for  something  in  the  matter  of  the  Christian  life  that 
you  never  ask  for  in  any  other  realm.  Do  you  refuse  to 
submit  to  Christ  because  you  do  not  understand  how 
Christ's  life,  and  Christ's  purity  can  be  communicated  to 
you?  Then  on  the  same  basis  you  must  refuse  to  love 
flowers,  for  you  cannot  understand  the  mystery  of  the  life 
of  a  flower.  It  is  not  merely  in  this  fact  of  the  Christ  life 
that  there  is  mystery.  No  man  has  ever  yet  explained 
the  mystery  of  the  simplest  form  of  life.  What  is  life 
after  all?  It  is  said  that  a  German  chemist  sat  in  his 
laboratory  for  forty  years  engaged  in  one  experiment 
alone.  Was  he  successful  ?  Never !  For  forty  years  he 
attempted  to  take  the  constituent  parts  of  matter,  and 
so  to  mix  them  as  to  produce  life.  Analyzing  the  germ 
he  declared  he  found  carbon,  oxygen,  nitrogen,  and  hydro- 
gen, and  he  imagined  that  if  he  could  only  find  the  proper 
proportion  of  these,  life  would  be  the  result,  but  he  never 
succeeded.    Life  is  a  mystery.    It  cannot  be  explained. 

So  also  in  this  Christian  fact.  The  communication  of 
the  Christ  life  is  full  of  mystery,  and  I  pray  you,  ever 


ITS  NATURE  25 

distrust  the  man  who  imagines  he  perfectly  understands 
it.  A  mystery  truly,  and  yet  a  fact  demonstrated  by  the 
experience  of  centuries.  Take  but  one  illustration.  Here 
is  a  life  mastered  by  evil  passion,  that  life  is  brought 
to  Christ,  submitted  to  Christ.  With  what  result?  It 
is  wholly  changed,  and  that  by  an  internal  power,  surpris- 
ing the  man  himself,  as  he  finds  himself  mastered  by 
a  new  life  which  in  turn  makes  him  master  of  the  very 
things  that  have  held  him  in  bondage.  That  is  the  real 
nature  of  Christianity.  Wherever  a  soul  submits  to 
Christ,  Christ  passes  into  actual  possession  of  the  life, 
and  an  existence  begins  which  is  entirely  new,  and  which 
is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  Christ  Himself. 

Under  the  control  of  the  indwelling  Christ  a  man  be- 
comes a  disciple,  and  the  men  of  Antioch,  or  any  other 
city,  will  say,  That  is  a  Christian.  Under  the  control 
of  the  indwelling  Christ  he  begins  to  live  in  order  to  lead 
people  to  Christ,  and  Agrippa,  or  other  men  will  say, 
Wouldest  thou  persuade  me  to  be  a  Christian?  And  he 
will  answer.  Yes,  that  is  the  passion  of  my  being.  Under 
the  constraint  of  the  indwelling  Christ  he  will  be  delivered 
from  the  evil  things  around,  and  there  will  come  to  him 
the  reproach  of  Christ,  and  he  will  not  be  ashamed,  but 
glory  rather  in  that  reproach. 

The  nature  of  Christianity  is  Christ  in  the  life,  and 
therefore  I  make  this  appeal.  Do  not  attempt  to  be  a 
Christian  by  correcting  the  circumference  of  your  life. 
Let  Christ  come  into  its  centre,  and  He  will  correct  the 
circumference.  You  cannot  make  a  circle  by  commencing 
with  the  circumference.  You  must  first  set  one  foot  of 
your  compass  at  the  centre.     It  is  said  that  only  one 


26  THB  UFB   OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

artist  ever  produced  a  perfect  circle,  and  perhaps  the 
round  O  of  Giotto  was  after  all  but  a  freak.  In  the 
spiritual  realm  to  work  at  the  circumference  of  things 
for  their  correction  is  the  utterest  folly.  Let  Christ  be 
the  living  Centre,  and  the  life  under  His  control  will 
be  corrected  in  all  the  sweep  of  its  circumference.  The 
nature  of  the  Christian  life  is  Christ.  To  that  nothing 
can  be  added. 


THE      LIFE      OF     THE      CHRISTIAN- 
ITS    SUSTENANCE. 


27 


"Break  Thou  the  bread  of  life. 

Dear  Lord,  to  me, 
•As  Thou  didst  break  the  loaves 

Beside  the  sea; 
Beyond  the  sacred  page 

I  seek  Thee,  Lord ; 
My  spirit  pants  for  Thee, 

O  living  Word ! 

Bless  Thou  the  truth,  dear  Lord, 

To  me — to  me — 
As  Thou  didst  bless  the  bread 

By  Galilee; 
Then  shall  all  bondage  cease. 

All  fetters  fall; 
And  I  shall  find  my  peace, 

My  All-in- All !" 

— Mary  A.  Lathbury. 

"Father,  supply  my  every  need. 

Sustain  the  life  Thyself  hast  given, 
Call  for  the  never-failing  bread, 
The  manna  that  comes  down  from  heaven." 

^C.  Wesley. 

"Man,  earthy  of  the  earth,  an  hungered  feeds 
Of  earth's  dark  poison  tree — 
Wild  gourds,  and  deadly  roots,  and  bitter  weeds; 

And  as  his  food  is  he. 
And  hungry  souls  there  are,  that  find  and  eat 

God's  manna  day  by  day — 
And  glad  they  are,  their  life  is  fresh  and  sweet, 
For  as  their  food  are  they." 

-G.  T.  S. 
"Hymns  of  Ter  Steegen,  Suso,  and  Others. 


28 


CHAPTER  II. 

the;  u^e  of  the  christian — its  sustenance. 

"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  He  that  believeth  hath  eternal 
life.  I  am  the  bread  of  life.  Your  fathers  ate  the  manna  in  the 
wilderness,  and  they  died.  This  is  the  bread  which  cometh  down 
out  of  heaven,  that  a  man  may  eat  thereof,  and  not  die.  I  am 
the  living  bread  which  came  down  out  of  heaven;  if  any 
man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever:  yea,  and  the  bread 
which  I  will  give  is  My  flesh,  for  the  life  of  the  world."  John 
vi.  47-51. 

"  Howbeit  when  He,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come.  He  shall 
guide  you  into  all  the  truth :  for  He  shall  not  speak  from  Himself; 
but  what  things  soever  He  shall  hear,  these  shall  He  speak: 
and  He  shall  declare  unto  you  the  things  that  are  to  come.  He 
shall  glorify  Me :  for  He  shall  take  of  Mine,  and  shall  declare  it 
unto  you."    John  xvi.  13-14. 

"  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  your  richly."    Col.  iii.  16. 

"  Be  filled  with  the  Spirit."    Eph.  v.  18. 

The  word  life  suggests  development. .  Arrest  placed 
upon  the  development  of  life  surely  results  sooner  or 
later  in  its  cessation.  The  Christ  life  is  not  a  factor 
held  separately  from  the  believer's  life.  It  is  my  veri- 
table life  if  I  am  indeed  a  Christian.  There  are  certain 
methods  of  speech  and  of  thinking,  which  may  sometimes 
be  interpreted  into  the  false  idea  that  a  Christian  is  one 
who  has  a  personality  separate  in  some  way  from  his 
Christian  life,  that  the  Christ  life  is  a  deposit,  something 
given  to  him  in  some  mysterious  way  for  him  to  guard, 

29 


30  THB  LIPB   OP   THE  CHRISTIAN 

and  yet  separate  from  him.  Hence  we  hear  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  two  natures.  I  am  not  proposing  to  dis- 
cuss that  doctrine  here  and  now.  There  may  be  an  element 
of  truth  in  it,  but  it  is  perfectly  certain  that  the  Christ 
life  is  not  something  in  me,  separate  from  me,  of  which 
I  have  to  take  care,  and  of  which  if  I  do  take  care  I  am 
saved  notwithstanding  myself.  The  Christ  life  in  the 
believer  is  his  own  life.  There  are  forces  in  the  will, 
the  emotion,  and  the  intellect,  which  need  to  be  brought 
by  patient  perseverance  under  the  control,  but  the  life 
of  the  Christian  is  that  of  the  Christ.  That  is  what  the 
apostle  surely  meant  when  he  wrote,  "I  have  been  cruci- 
fied with  Christ;  and  it  is  no  longer  I  that  live,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me:  and  that  life  which  I  now  live  in 
the  flesh  I  live  in  faith,  the  faith  which  is  in  the  Son 
of  God,  Who  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  up  for 
me."  "Not  I — but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  The  same  per- 
sonality, but  a  new  life,  a  new  impulse,  a  new  reason,  a 
new  force,  a  new  outlook.  The  life  of  the  apostle  was 
the  Christ  life.    The  Christ  life  was  the  life  of  the  apostle. 

If  indeed  the  life  we  received  when  we  abandoned 
ourselves  to  Christ  was  Christ's  life  imparted  by  the 
Spirit,  the  issue  must  be  that  our  life  will  grow  into  the 
Hkeness  of  Him  Whose  life  is  now  the  dominating  force 
within  us.  Every  day  should  show  some  approximation 
in  character  and  conduct  to  Christ  Himself. 

While  it  is  perfectly  true  that  the  Christ  life  in  the 
believer  will  grow  and  develop,  bringing  all  the  terri- 
tory of  the  personality  under  its  sway,  and  power,  and 
control ;  yet  it  is  equally  true  that  there  is  a  responsibility 
resting  on  the  believer,  certain  laws  of  life  which  must 
be  obeyed.    And  the  first  is  that  of  securing  proper  sus- 


ITS  SUSTENANCE  31 

tenance.  Created  life,  from  a  flower  to  an  archangel,  is 
dependent  for  the  sustenance  of  life  upon  forces  outside 
itself.  All  resources  lie  within  the  mystery  of  Deity,  but 
God  alone  is  Self-sufficient.  In  other  words,  the  creature 
makes  demands  upon  the  Creator  for  the  preservation  of 
the  life  which  He  has  caused  to  be,  and  in  the  economy  of 
God  there  is  perfect  provision  for  the  sustenance  of  all 
life  which  He  has  created. 

Therefore  my  life  in  Christ  is  not  self-sufficient.  It  is 
only  as  it  receives  from  the  outside  that  it  can  continue 
and  develop.  As  in  the  physical  life  of  man,  so  in  the 
spiritual,  there  are  two  elements  of  necessary  sustenance, 
proper  food,  and  proper  atmosphere.  Both  the  food  of 
the  Christian,  and  the  atmosphere  in  which  he  is  to  live 
are  indicated  in  the  passages  at  the  commencement  of  this 
chapter.  Christ  says,  **He  that  believeth  hath  eternal 
life.  I  am  the  bread  of  life."  That  is  to  say,  that 
He  is  the  sustenance  of  the  life  we  have  received  from 
Him.  The  Christ  life  can  only  be  fed  by  Christ.  Not 
by  something  He  gives  me  as  apart  from  Himself,  not 
by  blessings  He  bestows  upon  me,  but  by  the  fact  that 
the  values  and  the  virtues  and  the  victory  of  His  life  are 
mine  in  Him,  and  are  all  available  for  the  sustenance  of 
His  life  in  me. 

Christ  then,  is  the  bread  of  life,  and  the  soul  having 
received  the  life  of  the  Christ,  is  now  to  be  fed  and  sus- 
tained by  Christ.  The  atmosphere  of  the  life  is  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  all  His  powers.  Neither  of  these  means  of  sus- 
tenance can  be  neglected  without  peril  to  Christian  life. 
In  the  full  use  of  both,  there  will  be  constant  develop- 
ment and  growth  without  effort  or  undue  consciousness. 

In  order  to  an  understanding  of  the  nature  of  this 


32  THE  LIPB   OF   THB  CHRISTIAN 

heavenly  bread,  let  us  think  first  of  the  perfections  of  the 
Person  of  Christ,  and  then  of  the  provision  of  His  pro- 
pitiation, and  finally  of  the  programme  of  His  purpose. 

First  as  to  the  perfection  of  His  Person.  Christ  is  the 
realization  and  manifestation  in  history  of  the  essential 
facts  in  Deity  which  are  necessary  for  the  sustenance 
of  spiritual  life.  In  Christ  the  world  has  had  the  one 
and  only  revelation  of  the  absolute  perfection  of  human 
life.  It  is  remarkable,  and  never  to  be  forgotten  that 
even  those  who  have  not  been  able  to  receive  certain 
truths  about  Christ  that  we  hold  as  fundamental  and 
most  dear,  yet  acknowledge  the  absolute  beauty  and  per- 
fection of  His  character.  Jesus  said,  "Which  of  you  con- 
vinceth  Me  of  sin?"  and  that  question  still  challenges 
the  ages,  and  has  never  been  answered  except  in  the 
way  in  which  Pilate  expressed  himself  when  he  said, 
"1  find  no  fault  in  Him."  Books  intended  as  criticisms 
of  Christ  invariably  recognize  the  beauty  of  the  ideal 
realized  in  His  life.  Strauss  affirmed  that  the  story  of 
Jesus  must  be  a  myth,  for  no  such  human  life  was 
possible,  because  it  was  too  sweet,  too  glorious,  too  beauti- 
ful. The  brilliant  Frenchman,  Renan,  has  given  us  one 
of  the  most  marvelous  pictures  of  the  human  Christ  on 
record.  These  men  denying  revealed  truth  concerning 
the  Person  of  Christ,  have  yet  through  contemplation  of 
the  picture  revealed  in  the  Gospels,  recognized  Him  as 
facile  princeps  among  the  sons  of  men. 

The  notes  of  the  perfection  of  Jesus  are  very  many. 
And  here  one  can  only  utter  broken  sentences.  Think 
of  the  perfections  of  that  Person,  the  absolute  perfection 
of  Deity  in  that  Person,  the  absolute  perfection  of  hu- 
manity in  that  Person,    This  mystery  is  infinitely  beyond 


ITS   SUSTENANCE  33 

comprehension,  and  consequently  it  is  infinitely  beyond 
explanation.  There  is  no  essential  of  Deity  that  is  not 
manifested  in  the  record  of  these  four  Gospels.  And  yet 
there  is  no  essential  of  human  nature — sin  apart,  which 
is  not  an  essential — there  is  no  essential  of  human  nature 
that  is  not  manifested  also.  Infinite  wisdom  in  many  of 
the  things  He  said,  human  limitation  in  a  few  of  the 
things  He  uttered.  Infinite  strength  dominating  all  His 
life,  and  yet  human  weakness,  making  Him  tired  when 
the  day's  work  was  over. 

Think  of  that  spirituality,  which  was  a  perfect  con- 
sciousness of  God,  and  which  enabled  Him  to  touch  all 
life  here  familiarly.  Think  of  that  submissiveness  of 
Spirit,  which  was  always  under  the  control  of  God.  Think 
of  that  keen  and  quick  sympathy  which  enabled  Him  to 
project  His  own  consciousness  into  that  of  others,  so 
that  in  the  sorrow  of  others  He  was  sorrowful,  and  in 
their  joy  He  was  joyful.  Think  of  that  marvelous 
strength  that  made  Him  the  unhesitating  One,  never 
deliberating,  never  perplexed,  never  wondering ;  but  with 
calm  sure  tread,  marching  through  all  the  difficulties  and 
obstacles  of  life,  until  at  last  He  uttered  in  quiet  and 
dignified  assertion  the  words,  "All  authority  hath  been 
given  unto  Me."  These  are  simply  notes  of  the  perfec- 
tions of  the  Christ,  not  now  fully  examined,  but  to  be 
remembered  as  evidences  of  His  perfection. 

Then  the  great  plan  of  His  propitiation,  that  marvelous 
work  by  which  He  has  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
to  all  believers,  and  through  which  He  takes  hold  of  utter 
failure,  and  turns  it  into  glorious  success.  His  pardon 
for  the  sinner  upon  the  basis  of  righteousness,  His  purity 
for  the  impure,  by  the  communication  of  life.  His  peace 
c 


34  THB  LIFE   OP   THB   CHRISTIAN 

and  power  and  promise,  that  light  the  darkest  day  with 
glory.  All  this  comes  within  the  compass  of  His  work, 
and  all  is  at  our  disposal,  and  part  of  the  sustenance  of 
our  spiritual  life. 

The  utterance  of  philosophic  science  which  reveals  the 
measure  of  its  conclusions  during  the  last  half  century, 
is  the  doctrine  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest.  I  do  not  deny 
the  accuracy  of  this  deduction  from  observations  made. 
It  undoubtedly  has  in  it  a  great  element  of  truth.  Jesus 
Christ  however,  in  the  dawn  of  this  new  century,  again 
faces  men  in  the  hopelessness  born  of  such  a  philosophy, 
and  declares  to  them  that  He  came  not  merely  to  aid  in 
the  strengthening  of  the  fit,  but  principally  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  unfit.  Just  at  the  point  where  human  science 
and  human  philosophy  break  down,  Christ  enters;  and 
by  the  pathway  of  His  perfect  life,  and  the  mystery  of 
His  atoning  death,  and  the  victory  of  His  triumphant 
resurrection  takes  hold  of  human  life,  and  saving  man, 
enables  him  to  do  the  things  he  could  not  do,  and  makes 
him  master  of  the  forces  that  have  mastered  him.  Christ 
is  a  perfect  Saviour  because  He  is  a  perfect  Person, 
Who  through  the  process  of  the  suffering  of  His  death  has 
provided  a  new  force  for  the  remaking  of  the  ruined. 

And  finally,  the  great  programme  of  His  purpose,  which 
is  the  utter  and  final  salvation  of  man,  the  lifting  up 
to  Himself  of  everything  in  human  life,  the  building  up 
of  a  God-redeemed  society,  the  reconciliation  of  all  things 
to  God  in  this  age,  and  in  the  ages  to  come,  in  the  heavens, 
and  in  the  earth.  Salvation  does  not  merely  mean  that 
a  human  being  is  saved  from  the  punishment  of  sin  to 
find  the  way  into  the  after-glow  of  glory.  It  means  all 
that,  but  it  is  also  the  process  by  which  everything  in 


ITS  SUSTENANCE  35 

human  life,  as  created  by  God,  is  to  be  found  and  realized 
and  crowned  to  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  perfecting  of 
man. 

These  are  the  great  facts,  feeding  upon  which  the  new 
life  of  the  soul  is  to  be  strengthened  and  sustained.  Christ 
is  not  a  small  matter !  All  the  infinite  mystery,  and  the 
radiant  majesty,  and  the  overwhelming  magnificence  of 
that  Person  are  for  us. 

The  question  may  now  be  asked.  How  is  the  soul  to 
feed  upon  Christ  ?  How  are  these  things  to  become  ours, 
not  merely  intellectually,  but  to  enter  into  the  fibre  of  the 
being,  and  to  remake  us  ?  Three  words  mark  the  method 
of  the  soul's  feeding  upon  Christ — contemplation,  medi- 
tation, and  dedication.  First,  the  contemplation  of  Christ, 
then  meditation  upon  the  things  seen,  and  finally  the 
yielding  of  the  life  to  the  claim  which  always  lies  within 
the  vision  granted,  the  dedication  of  the  life  to  Him. 

Christ  is  the  bread  of  life.  We  are  to  feed  upon  Him. 
To  this  end  our  first  responsibility  is  that  of  contempla- 
tion. There  must  be  time  taken  to  "consider  Him." 
What  a  suggestive  word  that  is.  We  must  contemplate 
Him.  We  must  see  Him.  We  must  know  Him.  We 
must  make  ourselves  acquainted  with  Him.  This  is  per- 
haps the  most  restless  age  that  has  ever  been.  Oh,  the 
passionate  movement  of  it,  how  it  catches  us,  and  sweeps 
us  along  ere  we  know  it.  Its  perils  are  great,  and  con- 
stantly amid  the  stress  and  strain  of  work  we  long  for 
those  days  of  old,  when  it  was  possible  to  get  away  from 
life's  activity,  and  spend  some  time  in  lonely  contempla- 
tion of  the  Lord  and  Master.  How  little  time  we  spend 
in  quiet  earnest  effort  of  contemplation.  In  this  connec- 
tion it  must  be  remembered  that  the  fact  of  life  is  of 


36  THB  UPB   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

supreme  importance.  Any  attempt  to  see  Christ,  even  in 
the  Word,  without  the  gift  of  Hfe,  will  prove  abortive.  It 
is  possible  to  study  the  New  Testament  intellectually  and 
sytematically,  and  never  to  see  Jesus  Christ.  For  the 
proper  reading  and  interpretation  of  the  inspired  Book 
it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  inspired  readers.  If 
we  are  Christ's  and  the  Christ  is  in  us,  then  the  inspira- 
tion of  His  inward  presence  will  enable  us  to  see  Him 
in  the  Word  as  we  read  it ;  and  it  is  that  contemplation 
of  Him  in  the  place  of  quietness  and  submission  that  is 
necessary  if  we  are  to  feed  upon  Him,  and  He  is  in  grow- 
ing measure  to  become  our  very  own. 

Then  secondly  there  must  also  be  meditation,  the  think- 
ing in  the  presence  of  the  thing  seen,  and  the  bringing  of 
the  truth  and  the  glory  we  have  looked  at  into  immediate 
relationship  with  all  the  details  of  our  every-day  life.  As 
the  glory  of  Christ  breaks  out  upon  the  waiting  soul,  we 
must  hold  ourselves  in  the  light  of  the  glory,  until  the 
glory  searches  and  tries  us.  Our  life  must  be  measured 
by  His  life,  and  it  is  a  part  of  the  process  of  the  soul's 
sustenance  that  we  should  take  time  to  set  all  our  life  in 
the  light  of  the  glory  and  beauty  of  His. 

And  yet  once  more,  there  must  be  added  to  contempla- 
tion and  meditation,  honest  and  whole-hearted  dedication. 
It  is  impossible  to  spend  even  an  hour  with  Christ  with- 
out being  rebuked.  The  vision  of  His  glory  seen,  must 
always  reveal  the  shortcoming,  the  failure  of  our  own 
life.  It  is  impossible  to  commune  with  Him  without  hear- 
ing His  voice  calling  to  something  higher  than  anything 
already  realized.  And  we  must  answer  the  claim  that 
comes  when  the  vision  is  seen,  by  obeying  at  all  costs. 
Those  who  know  Christ  the  best  are  most  conscious  of 


ITS  SUSTENANCE  37 

the  infinite  wealth,  the  infinite  glory  not  yet  explored ;  and 
perpetually  to  the  soul  who  considers  Him,  and  meditates 
in  His  presence,  there  will  come  the  sound  of  His  voice 
calling  to  something  higher,  to  follow  Him  into  yet  larger 
realization  of  Himself.  So  when  our  attitude  is  that  of 
a  constant  dedication,  an  every-ready  answer  to  the  claim 
of  each  new  outbreak  of  glory  from  the  Person  of  Christ, 
we  shall  feed  upon  Him,  take  Him  into  our  being  in 
ever-increasing  measure,  and  as  He  thus  is  formed  in 
us,  we  shall  grow  up  into  Him  in  all  things. 

Before  turning  from  this  first  thought  concerning  the 
food  of  the  Christian  life,  let  it  be  remembered  that  there 
are  two  things  necessary,  regularity  and  system.  To  con- 
trast our  habits  in  the  matter  of  physical  and  spiritual 
feeding,  will  often  be  to  reveal  the  reason  of  the  weakness 
of  our  spiritual  life.  Some  people  seem  only  to  feed  upon 
Christ  on  Sunday,  imagining  that  this  is  all  they  need 
of  spiritual  food.  Others  only  give  themselves  to  such 
feeding  upon  Christ  when  affliction  overtakes  them.  The 
result  is  that  occasional  and  spasmodic  communion  with 
Christ  results  in  like  manifestation  of  Christian  character. 
It  is  far  more  important  that  the  Christian  should  feed 
on  Christ  regularly  than  that  the  physical  life  should  be 
cared  for.  If  on  the  morning  of  any  given  day  through 
press  of  circumstances,  there  is  only  time  for  one  thing, 
the  meal  which  supplies  the  necessities  of  the  body,  or  the 
hour  of  communion  which  sustains  the  strength  of  the 
spirit,  the  breakfast  should  be  abandoned,  and  the  time 
of  fellowship  retained.  It  may  safely  be  affirmed  that 
where  this  rule  is  observed,  the  breakfast  is  seldom 
omitted  from  the  programme  of  the  day. 

Moreover  this  feeding  on  Christ  should  not  be  relegated 


38  THB  LIFE  OP  THH  CHRISTIAN 

to  special  occasions.  There  is  a  great  tendency  to  attend 
conventions  and  conferences  for  the  sustenance  of  Chris- 
tian life,  under  the  impression  that  such  special  occasions 
will  supply  all  that  is  necessary,  perhaps,  for  a  year.  It 
is  not  by  great  banquets  that  physical  life  is  maintained, 
but  by  quiet  and  regular  supply  of  necessities.  So  also 
great  conferences  or  conventions  will  by  no  means  take 
the  place  of  regular  contemplation,  meditation,  and  dedi- 
cation. Feeding  upon  the  bread  of  life  must  be  a  per- 
petual process  if  indeed  we  would  grow  into  the  likeness 
of  Christ. 

Moreover,  there  should  be  system  in  this  matter,  and 
here  is  the  true  work  of  the  pastor  and  teacher,  that  of 
leading  the  sheep  of  the  pasture  into  that  particular  part 
thereof  which  is  most  adapted  to  their  age,  capacity,  and 
requirement.  Every  church  should  be  one  great  Bible 
school,  and  the  minister's  supreme  function  that  of  teach- 
ing the  Word,  and  so  feeding  the  flock  of  God.  This 
cannot  be  done  by  the  preparation  of  literary  disquisitions 
on  philosophical  subjects,  but  by  careful,  systematic,  con- 
stant study  of  the  Word  of  God,  and  its  exposition  and 
enforcement  in  the  companies  of  the  saints. 

The  question  of  atmosphere  is  quite  as  important  as 
that  of  food.  The  Christian  must  live  in  the  true  atmos- 
phere, which  is  the  fellowship  of  the  Spirit.  There  is  no 
essential  difference  between  the  indwelling  Christ  and  the 
indwelling  Spirit.  These  two  phrases  reveal  complemen- 
tary aspects  of  one  truth.  The  Spirit's  indwelling  reveals 
the  Christ,  and  thus  Christ  indwells  us  by  the  Spirit.  Yet 
if  we  are  to  understand  the  laws  of  our  life,  we  are 
bound  to  recognize  the  personality  and  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.    When  His  disciples  were  gathered  around  Him, 


ITS  SUSTBNANCB  39 

just  before  His  departure,  Jesus  breatKed  on  them,  an 
action  at  once  prophetic  and  symboHc,  indicating  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  the  living  link  between  Himself  and  those  disci- 
ples. The  Spirit  of  the  Christ  outbreathed  by  the  Christ 
and  inbreathed  by  the  believer,  becomes  the  link  between 
the  believer  and  the  Christ,  between  the  Christ  life  in  all 
its  fullness,  and  the  need  of  the  believer. 

The  true  atmosphere,  therefore,  of  the  new  life  is  that 
of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Life  in  the  Spirit  is  life  in  the 
atmosphere  which  will  enable  us  to  see  the  Christ,  to 
understand  Him,  to  dedicate  ourselves  to  Him. 

The  method  of  the  Spirit  may  be  indicated  again  by 
three  words,  revelation,  explanation,  transformation.  The 
Spirit  first  reveals  Christ.  As  the  vision  is  seen,  the 
Spirit  explains  its  meaning,  and  applies  it  to  the  neces- 
sities of  life.  As  the  vision  is  obeyed,  the  Spirit  trans- 
forms the  obedient  one  into  the  likeness  of  the  Christ 
revealed. 

These  two  sets  of  three  words  stand  over  against  eacH 
other.  The  Spirit's  revelation  of  Christ  answers  the 
attitude  of  contemplation.  The  Spirit's  explanation  of 
the  revelation  answers  our  meditation  on  that  revealed 
glory.  The  Spirit's  transformation  answers  our  dedica- 
tion of  ourselves  to  the  explanation  of  the  revealed  glory. 

Jesus  said  of  the  Spirit,  "He  shall  take  of  Mine,  and 
shall  declare  it  unto  you."  The  work  of  the  Spirit  is  to 
reveal  Christ.  He  has  nothing  to  say  to  us  about  Himself. 
All  that  was  necessary  to  be  said  concerning  Him,  Christ 
Himself  said.  The  method  of  the  Spirit  is  at  once  simple 
and  sublime.  Christ  in  all  His  glory  can  never  be  revealed 
to  any  one  individual  at  any  moment.  Through  processes 
marked  by  infinite  patience,  the  Spirit  reveals  this  infinite 


40  TUB  LIFE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

glory  of  the  Lord  "line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept." 
Such  revealing  is  made  to  those  given  to  contemplation. 
Every  new  manifestation  of  the  Master's  glory  is  granted 
that  we  may  ponder  it,  gaze  upon  it,  look  deeply  into  it. 
While  thus  occupied  the  Spirit  continues  His  gracious 
work.  He  opens  the  mind  and  heart  that  we  may  under- 
stand the  vision.  This  explanation  is  the  Spirit's  response 
to  earnest  meditation,  applying  the  light  and  glory  to  all 
the  recesses  of  our  life,  and  to  all  the  habits  and  conduct 
of  the  days.  Such  exercise  will  ever  mean,  as  we  have 
said  before,  the  revelation  of  things  to  be  corrected,  and 
of  new  duties  to  be  undertaken.  Here  is  our  supreme 
point  of  responsibility.  If  for  fear,  or  in  response  to 
selfish  motives,  we  fail  to  obey,  we  grieve  the  Spirit ;  and 
not  until  there  has  been  repentance  and  obedience  will 
any  further  vision  be  granted.  If  on  the  other  hand,  we 
dedicate  ourselves  to  the  light  by  obeying  its  call,  the 
Spirit  completes  the  gracious  process  of  His  operation 
by  transforming  us  into  that  which  we  have  seen  of 
Christ,  and  obeyed. 

Take  one  illustration  only.  In  some  moment  when  the 
heart  is  set  upon  Christ  in  contemplation,  the  Spirit  re- 
veals the  fact  of  His  compassion.  In  my  own  experi- 
ence the  most  startling  revelation  that  ever  came  to  me 
of  Christ  was  this  revelation  of  His  compassion.  I  can 
never  forget  the  hour  when  the  words,  **He  was  moved 
with  compassion,"  long  familiar  as  words,  and  as  a  gen- 
eral declaration  of  a  truth,  flamed  out,  and  flashed,  and 
burned  with  a  new  light  and  meaning  that  I  had  never 
seen  before.  When  such  revelation  comes,  it  is  ever  the 
work  of  the  Spirit,  and  our  duty  is  not  to  withdraw  our- 
selves from  the  fierce  light,  even  though  it  scorch  us 


ITS  SUSTBNANCB  41 

for  our  failure,  but  rather  should  we  force  ourselves  into 
its  clearest  shining,  even  though  we  be  filled  with  shame 
at  the  selfishness  which  has  characterized  even  our  service. 
So  surely  as  the  soul  thus  responds  to  the  light,  the 
Spirit  will  make  that  very  compassion  of  Christ  part 
of  the  experience  of  the  one  thus  yielded,  and  a  new 
and  yearning  tenderness  over  all  the  lost  will  prove  the 
realization  in  character  of  the  compassion  of  Christ,  as 
a  new  impulse  of  life  and  service. 

So  also  with  His  purity,  and  with  everything  in  the 
glorious  perfections  of  His  person,  His  passion,  and  His 
power.  We  contemplate,  the  Spirit  reveals.  We  medi- 
tate, the  Spirit  explains.  Then  we  answer  with  new 
dedication,  and  the  Spirit  transforms  us  into  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  truth  revealed.  So  life  grows  into  the  like- 
ness of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  relation  of  these  two  facts  in  the  sustenance  of 
the  spiritual  Hfe  is  as  close  as  is  the  relation  of  atmos- 
phere to  food  in  the  realm  of  the  physical.  We  know 
that  physical  life  cannot  be  maintained  apart  from  proper 
sustenance  and  fresh  air.  Shut  a  person  off  from  air, 
and  he  will  soon  lose  his  appetite,  and  sicken,  and  die, 
even  though  the  best  of  food  be  provided.  There  must  be, 
and  there  is  in  Christ,  perfect  provision  for  the  strength- 
ening of  the  Christ  life  in  the  believer.  And  yet  this 
can  only  be  appropriated  as  the  child  of  God  lives  in  such 
relation  with  the  Spirit  of  God  as  fulfills  the  apostolic 
injunction,  "Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit." 

The  two  complementary  injunctions  in  the  Colossian 
and  Ephesian  epistles  reveal  most  clearly  the  inter-rela- 
tion between  these  two  phases  of  the  subject  of  sustenance. 
The  Word  of  Christ,  standing  for  all  the  wealth  of  His 


42  THE   UFB   OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

glory,  must  dwell  in  us.  That  can  only  be  as  we  are 
filled  with  the  Spirit  Whose  sacred  office  it  is  to  interpret 
to  us  and  realize  within  us  the  facts  and  forces  of  the 
life  of  Christ. 

The  life  of  the  Christian  is  the  Christ  life.  So  far  as 
our  will  and  responsibility  are  concerned  there  must  be 
personal  feeding  on  Christ,  and  in  order  to  this  we 
must  live  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  Spirit  exclusively. 
As  there  must  be  no  neglect  of  the  bread  of  heaven 
provided,  so  also  must  there  be  no  descent  to  the  malarial 
valleys.  Life  must  be  lived  on  the  mountain  heights  in 
unceasing  relation  to  the  Spirit,  Who  is  the  one  and  only 
Interpreter  of  Christ. 

Some  years  ago  I  met  in  the  south  of  England  a  dear 
friend,  and  looking  at  him  was  filled  with  sorrow  as  I 
saw  at  once  that  he  was  in  the  grasp  of  that  insidious 
disease  which  with  deadly  certainty  saps  away  the  life. 
After  a  long  interval  when  I  was  in  Colorado,  I  saw  him 
again,  and  hardly  knew  him.  The  rare  air  of  the  moun- 
tains had  given  him  back  his  old  strength,  and  had  made 
impossible  the  spread  of  his  disease.  He  told  me  how- 
ever that  while  feeling  perfectly  well,  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  stay  upon  those  mountain  heights,  or  the  old 
trouble  would  return. 

Let  us  keep  ever  in  the  mountain  air.  If  we  descend 
into  the  old  valleys,  the  paralysis  of  the  past  will  come 
again.  We  must  live  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  Spirit, 
high  on  the  mountains  of  vision,  and  there  the  appetite 
for  the  bread  of  heaven  will  be  strong,  and  feeding  upon 
Christ  we  shall  "grow  up  into  Him  in  all  things." 

"Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly."  "Be 
filled  with  the  Spirit."    Do  not  let  us  treat  these  words, 


ITS  SUSTENANCE  43 

and  this  study  as  theories  merely,  to  be  discussed  and 
understood  intellectually.  From  this  day  forward  let  us, 
as  never  before,  take  time  to  contemplate,  to  meditate, 
and  to  dedicate;  these  all  moreover,  in  perpetual  relation 
to  the  Great  Spirit  of  God  Who  grants  the  vision  of  the 
Christ,  and  realizes  in  all  submissive  souls  His  glorious 
victories. 


THE    LIFE    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN— ITS 
EXPRESSION. 


45 


"Who  live,  O  God,  In  Thee 

Entirely  Thine  should  be; 
Thine  we  are,  a  heaven-born  race, 

Only  to  Thy  glory  move, 
Thee  with  all  our  powers  we  praise. 
Thee  with  all  our  being  love." 

— C.  Wesley. 

"'I  want  an  even  strong  desire, 

I  want  a  calmly-fervent  zeal, 
To  save  poor  souls  out  of  the  fire. 

To  snatch  them  from  the  verge  of  hell, 
And  turn  them  to  a  pardoning  God, 

And  quench  the  brands  in  Jesus'  blood. 

I  would  the  precious  time  redeem. 
And  longer  live  for  this  alone. 

To  spend,  and  to  be  spent,  for  them 
Who  have  not  yet  my  Saviour  known; 

Fully  on  these  my  mission  prove. 
And  only  breathe,  to  breathe  Thy  love. 


Enlarge,  inflame,  and  fill  my  heart 

With  boundless  charity  divine! 
So  shall  I  all  my  strength  exert, 

And  love  them  with  a  zeal  like  Thine ; 
And  lead  them  to  Thy  open  side, 

The  sheep  for  whom  their  Shepherd  died." 

— C.  Wesley. 


46 


CHAPTER  HI. 

THE  W^^  01?  THE   CHRISTIAN — ITS  EXPRESSION. 

"Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God 
abideth  in  him,  and  he  in  God.  And  we  know  and  have  believed 
the  love  which  God  hath  in  us.  God  is  love;  and  he  that 
abideth  in  love  abideth  in  God,  and  God  abideth  in  him.  Herein 
is  love  made  perfect  with  us,  that  we  may  have  boldness  in  the 
day  of  judgment;  because  as  He  is,  even  so  are  we  in  this  world." 
I.  John.  iv.  15-17. 

Granted  that  the  life  of  the  Christian  is  the  Christ 
life  communicated  by  the  Spirit,  and  that  the  sustenance 
of  Christian  life  is  Christ  apprehended  by  the  Spirit,  it 
follows  that  the  expression  of  the  Christ  life  will  be 
Christ.  This  John  states  superlatively  in  the  words,  "As 
He  is,  even  so  are  we  in  this  world." 

It  is  questionable  whether  there  is  any  statement  in 
the  New  Testament  quite  as  startling  in  this  particular 
connection  as  this  of  the  beloved  apostle.  It  is  so  startling 
that  we  are  compelled  to  face  and  examine  it  as  to  its 
context  before  considering  it  in  itself.  We  do  not  pro- 
pose to  deal  fully  with  the  whole  argument  of  the  apostle. 
These  especial  words,  "As  He  is,  even  so  are  we  in  this 
world,"  constitute  the  declaration  of  a  great  fact,  and 
it  is  announced  here  because  of  its  bearing  on  the  argu- 
ment in  which  the  apostle  is  engaged.  We  can  only 
enter  fully  into  the  meaning  of  the  declaration  as  we 

47 


48  THB  LIFE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

have  at  least  a  general  understanding  of  the  wider  truth 
being  dealt  with. 

The  apostle  is  occupied  with  the  great  subject  of  a 
manifested  life,  of  a  new  quality  of  life,  which  he  speaks 
of  as  eternal  life.  Yet  he  never  deals  with  it  in  the 
abstract,  but  always  as  revealed  in  the  Person  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Going  back  only  as  far  as  the  statement  immediately 
preceding  our  text,  "Herein,  is  love  made  perfect  with 
us,"  there  has  been  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  what 
the  word  ''herein"  refers  to,  as  to  which  is  cause  and 
which  is  effect.  Does  the  "herein"  refer  to  what  has 
gone  before  it,  or  to  that  which  immediately  follows? 
Does  the  apostle  mean  to  say  that  love  is  made  perfect 
with  us  through  the  consciousness  of  the  fact  that  we 
have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment  because  of  our 
likeness  to  Christ;  or  does  he  mean  to  say  that  our  love 
is  made  perfect  in  the  fact  that  God  abideth  in  us,  and 
that  because  of  this  we  have  boldness  in  the  day  of 
judgment;  and  that  moreover,  on  account  of  the  fact 
that  "as  He  is,  even  so  are  we  in  this  world  ?"  Personally 
I  believe  that  the  latter  is  the  correct  exegesis  of  the 
text.  The  "herein"  refers  to  that  which  has  been  already 
stated.  "God  is  love,  and  he  that  abideth  in  love  abideth 
in  God,  and  God  abideth  in  him.  Herein" — in  this  mutual 
interabiding,  abiding  in  love,  that  is,  our  abiding  in  God, 
and  God  abiding  in  us,  in  that  supreme  and  marvelous 
inter-relation — "is  love  made  perfect  with  us." 

That  being  so,  we  may  examine  the  statement  itself. 
"As  He  is,  even  so  are  we  in  this  world."  Our  first 
question  is.  Who  is  "He?"  The  "He"  here  undoubtedly 
refers  to  Christ.    John  constantly  referred  to  the  Master 


ITS  EXPRESSION  49 

by  the  use  of  the  personal  pronoun,  and  sometimes  by 
the  expression  ''that  One."  It  is  a  peculiar  characteristic 
of  his  writings,  especially  noticeable  in  the  epistles.  There 
are  occasions  when  without  naming  Christ,  without  even 
using  the  personal  pronoun,  it  is  most  certain  he  is 
making  reference  to  Him.  For  instance,  he  writes  in 
one  place  that  we  "ought  to  walk  as  He" — literally,  "as 
that  One  walked." 

An  explanation  of  this  method  of  the  apostle  is  to 
be  found  in  the  fact  that  he  wrote  with  his  eyes  per- 
petually resting  upon  the  Lord  Christ.  He  opens  this 
epistle,  "That  which  was  from  the  beginning,  that  which 
we  have  heard,  that  which  we  have  seen  with  our  eyes, 
that  which  we  have  beheld,  and  our  hands  handled,  con- 
cerning the  Word  of  life  .  .  .  that  which  we  have 
seen  and  heard."  In  every  case  the  word  "that"  refers 
to  Christ,  and  suggests  the  method  of  a  man  who  writes 
with  the  Person  of  Christ  filling  his  vision.  If  there  is 
a  phrase  which  describes  that  which  cannot  be  seen,  or 
heard,  or  handled,  it  is  the  phrase,  "the  Word  of  life." 
The  phrase  suggests  that  which  is  intangible,  imponder- 
able, something  that  cannot  appeal  to  the  ordinary  senses, 
and  yet  John  writes  clearly  that  this  Word  of  life  was 
manifested  to  men  in  the  Person  of  Him  to  Whom  the 
same  apostle  refers  in  the  opening  of  his  great  Gospel 
when  he  wrote,  "In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the 
Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  And  the 
Word  became  flesh,  and  tabernacled  among  us  (and  we 
beheld  His  glory,  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  from  the 
Father),  full  of  grace  and  truth."  So  that  the  supreme 
revelation  of  life,  of  eternal  life  has  been  granted  to  us 
in  the  Person  of  Jesus  Christ. 

D 


so  THE  IIPB   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

The  writings  of  John  are  not  in  some  senses  as  doctrinal 
as  those  of  Paul.  His  argument  is  never  as  conclusive, 
and  the  logical  element  is  almost  entirely  absent.  Paul 
is  the  great  logician.  John  is  the  great  interpreter.  Paul 
leads  us  along  the  line  of  stately  argument  until  our  reason 
is  compelled  to  acquiesce.  John  presents  to  our  mind 
and  heart  a  great  vision,  and  we  are  convinced  without 
argument.  I  do  not  desire  to  place  these  men  in  con- 
flicting contrast,  for  their  method  is  complementary,  and 
they  give  us  the  two  sides  of  the  great  whole  of  convic- 
tion. John's  reference  then  in  the  words,  "As  He  is, 
even  so  are  we  in  this  world"  is  to  Christ. 

Now  we  may  ask  a  second  question,  "How  is  He? 
What  did  the  apostle  mean?  The  vision  of  Jesus  to 
John  was  always  that  of  Love  incarnate.  God  is  love, 
and  Jesus  is  God  revealed,  consequently  He  is  love  re- 
vealed. We  may  reverently  repeat  the  declaration  in 
slightly  altered  form,  "As  He  is  love,  even  so  are  we 
love  in  this  world."  As  the  life  of  the  Christian  is  the 
Christ  life,  and  the  Christ  life  is  the  love  life,  so  the  life 
of  the  Christian  is  the  love  life.  When  that  is  said, 
everything  is  said.  We  may  attempt  to  see  the  different 
colours  that  commingle  in  a  perfect  harmony,  making  the 
essential  light  of  life,  but  when  we  have  said  love,  we 
have  said  all. 

Tarrying  yet  a  little  with  the  text,  before  attempting 
to  examine  its  application  to  practical  life,  and  how  love 
is  therein  expressed,  notice  carefully  the  form  of  the 
statement  here,  "As  He  is,"  not  as  He  was.  If  it  be 
true  that  John  always  wrote  with  his  eye  upon  the  human 
Christ,  it  is  equally  true  that  John  always  saw  in  the 
human  Christ  the  eternal  One.    Notice  how  human  Christ 


ITS  BXPRBSSION  51 

is  to  John.  "We  have  seen  ...  we  have  beheld  .  .  . 
our  hands  have  handled."  Yet  see  how  He  is  also  the 
eternal,  "The  Word  of  life.".  Is  it  possible  to  handle  the 
Word  of  life?  Is  it  possible  to  see  the  Word  of  Hfe? 
Is  it  possible  to  behold  the  Word  of  life  ?  In  these  state- 
ments there  is  evidenced  the  great  consciousness  of  John, 
two  facts  mingling  and  merging  into  a  majestic  unity, 
the  fact  of  the  human  which  is  Divine ;  the  revelation  of 
the  Divine  expressing  itself  in  human  limitation.  "As 
He  is"  not  as  He  was.  It  is  not  the  vision  of  the  past, 
save  as  that  serves  to  express  the  abiding  present. 

And  again  notice  the  tense  is  the  same  in  the  other 
sentence  of  the  declaration,  "so  are  we."  Not,  so  shall 
we  be.  There  is  a  sense  in  which  we  are  not  yet  perfected 
into  the  likeness  of  Christ,  and  it  is  John  who  also  says, 
"Now  are  we  children  of  God,  and  it  is  not  yet  made 
manifest  what  we  shall  be.  We  know  that,  if  He  shall 
be  manifested,  we  shall  be  like  Him."  That  is  the  future 
tense,  but  there  is  a  deep  and  present  sense  in  which  we 
are  now  like  Him.  "As  He  is,"  in  the  essence  of  His 
nature,  "so  are  we"  in  the  essence  of  our  nature  in  Him. 
Because  the  statement  is  startling  he  reaffirms  it  by  the 
addition  of  the  words,  "in  this  world."  In  the  midst  of 
the  present  economy,  in  the  midst  of  the  limitation  of 
the  processes  of  our  education — using  that  word  in  its 
highest  spiritual  sense — even  here  and  now,  "as  He  is, 
even  so  are  we." 

We  may  now  inquire  how  that  Christian  life  expresses 
itself.  When  we  yielded  our  poor  life  to  Him,  He  gave 
His  rich  life  to  us,  the  life  of  love.  How  does  it  express 
itself  in  this  world?  The  expression  of  the  Christ  life 
in  the  Christian  is  identical  with  the  expression  of  the 


52  THE  LIPH   OP   THB  CHRISTIAN 

Christ  life  in  the  Christ.  Let  us  go  back  and  contemplate 
Him  during  the  days  of  His  sojourn  amongst  men.  While 
paying  attention  to  the  human,  let  us  not  forget  that 
we  are  seeing  the  Divine. 

We  shall  follow  three  lines  of  consideration.  As  we 
take  our  way  through  the  world,  we  come  into  contact 
with  God,  and  man,  and  the  devil.  Every  day  we  live 
these  touch  us  somewhere.  What  was  the  expression  of 
the  Christ  life  toward  God?  What  was  the  expression 
of  the  Christ  life  toward  man?  What  was  the  expres- 
sion of  the  Christ  life  toward  evil  ?  By  such  contempla- 
tion shall  we  understand  not  what  we  ought  to  be,  but 
what  we  are,  and  what  we  cannot  help  being,  if  we  are 
wholly  and  absolutely  yielded  to  Christ. 

In  each  case  we  will  take  three  words  as  expressing 
the  facts.  The  Christ  life  expresses  itself  toward  God 
in  confidence,  communion,  and  cooperation.  The  Christ 
life  expresses  itself  toward  man  in  sincerity,  in  sympathy, 
and  in  service.  The  Christ  life  expresses  itself  toward 
evil  in  antipathy,  in  antagonism,  and  in  authority. 

As  to  the  first  of  these,  is  there  anything  more  beautiful 
in  the  study  of  the  life  of  our  Lord,  than  His  confidence 
in  His  Father,  absolutely  uninterrupted,  absolutely  un- 
questioning? The  very  key  note  of  the  music  of  the  life 
of  Jesus  is  to  be  found  in  that  old  time  prophecy  con- 
cerning Him,  "I  am  come  ...  I  delight  to  do  Thy 
will,  O  my  God."  As  the  life  of  the  Christ  passes  in 
review  before  our  minds  we  find  that  the  whole  of  it  is 
true  to  that  first  note  of  its  music.  It  is  the  chord  of  the 
dominant,  and  you  hear  its  tone  running  through  all  the 
harmonies.  Confidence  in  God  is  faith  in  God.  In  the 
letter  to  the  Hebrews,  after  the  writer  has  given  that 


ITS  EXPRBSSION  S3 

marvelous  scroll  of  the  heroes  and  heroines  of  faith 
known  and  unknown,  he  says,  Let  us  look  at  the  supreme 
Witness,  "Therefore  let  us  also,  seeing  we  are  com- 
passed about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily 
beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set 
before  us,  looking."  At  what?  At  the  witnesses?  No. 
"Looking  unto  Jesus."  And  why?  "Who  is  the  Author 
and  Perfecter  of  faith."  Not  of  our  faith.  The  word 
our  does  not  occur  in  the  text,  but  "of  faith"  as  a  principle 
of  life.  The  word  Author  very  literally  means  file  leader, 
that  is,  one  who  marches  first  in  the  procession,  one  who 
blazes  the  way  through  the  forest,  the  pioneer  of  faith. 
The  writer  is  holding  Jesus  of  Nazareth  up  to  the  view 
of  these  men  whose  faith  was  wavering,  these  Hebrew 
Christians,  because  they  thought  that  everything  was  lost 
as  the  old  economy  was  passing  away.  He  is  telling  them 
that  more  radiant  than  all  the  witnesses  of  the  past  is 
Jesus,  the  Exemplification  of  faith,  the  One  Who  has 
given  the  most  perfect  example  of  what  the  life  of  confi- 
dence or  faith  in  God  really  is. 

Then  the  word  Finisher  is  also  suggestive.  We  might 
substitute  the  word  Vindicator  as  revealing  the  intention 
at  this  point.  He  most  perfectly  sets  the  pattern  and 
proves  the  power.  All  through  the  life  of  Jesus  this 
confidence  in  God  is  evident.  His  confidence  appears 
to  have  been  uninterrupted,  unquestioning,  and  unbar- 
gaining.  As  far  as  the  records  reveal,  Christ  only  once 
asked  the  question  that  we  with  our  faltering  faith  so 
perpetually  ask.  He  only  once  asked  God  "Why"  ?  When 
in  that  awful  mystery  of  the  Cross  He  stood  in  my  place, 
and  suffered  the  veiling  of  the  face  of  God,  and  passed 


54  THB  LIFE  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

into  the  mystery  of  the  darkness  incomprehensible,  then 
He  said,  "My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken 
Me?"  We  so  often  ask  Why?  Why  must  I  bear  this? 
Why  must  I  go  alone  this  rough  pathway?  Why  have 
I  been  called  to  pass  through  these  sorrows?  I  am  not 
rebuking  the  question,  for  it  comes  up  too  often  in  my 
own  heart.  But  by  way  of  contrast  come  from  the  oft- 
time  Why  of  men  to  the  lonely  Why  of  Jesus.  With 
quiet  calm  strength  He  moved  along  the  pathway  of 
life,  and  all  the  duties  and  actions  were  true  to  that 
chord  of  the  dominant  struck  ere  the  music  was  heard 
of  man.  Never  until  He  stood  in  my  place  in  all  the 
depths  and  meaning  of  atoning  agony,  did  He  ask  Why  ? 
His  other  sayings  all  breathe  the  spirit  of  a  perfect  con- 
fidence. "Know  ye  not  that  I  must  be  about  My  Father's 
business  ?"  "We  must  work  the  works  of  Him  that  sent 
Me."  "I  do  always  the  things  that  are  pleasing  to  Him." 
I  have  "accomplished  the  work  which  Thou  hast  given 
Me  to  do."  "Father,  into  Thy  hands  I  commend  My 
Spirit." 

That  is  the  first  expression  of  the  Christ  life  toward 
God.  "As  He  is,  even  so  are  we;"  and  that  confidence 
will  grow  in  proportion  as  we  yield  ourselves  to  the 
Christ,  developing  and  enlarging  every  day. 

Confidence  merges  into  something  more  profound,  com- 
munion with  God.  Perfect  confidence  in  love  creates  the 
desire  for  fuller  knowledge  of  love,  and  so  the  soul  passes 
upon  this  basis  of  a  perfect  confidence  into  the  region  of 
a  perpetual  communion.  There  is  a  reflex  action  here. 
The  more  one  trusts  God,  the  deeper  and  the  closer  the 
communion  with  God  becomes.  Again  consider  the  life 
of  our  Lord,  and  we  shall  see  that  His  communion  with 


ITS  BXPRBSSION  S& 

His  Father  was  unbroken  until  that  dark  and  mysterious 
hour  of  the  Cross.  In  the  lone  vigils  on  the  mountain 
side,  in  the  nights  spent  in  retirement  from  the  throng- 
ing crowds,  we  find  Him  realizing  the  deepest  experience 
of  a  communion  with  God  which  was  perpetual.  Do  not 
imagine  that  Christ's  communion  with  God  was  limited, 
that  He  only  entered  into  communion  when  He  left  the 
crowd.  He  lived  in  communion.  He  was  never  out 
of  the  Divine  presence  consciously.  His  was  a  life  homed 
in  God.  He  lived  and  moved  and  had  His  being  in  God. 
That  fact  is  most  clearly  stated  by  Himself.  "I  and  My 
Father  are  one."  Alone,  "and  yet  I  am  not  alone,  be- 
cause the  Father  is  with  Me." 

And  then  finally,  and  because  of  these  two  facts,  His 
life  expressed  itself  in  cooperation  with  God.  The  work 
of  Jesus  for  God  was  never  separated  from  the  life  of 
Jesus  with  God.  The  sense  of  the  importance  and  the 
urgency  of  the  Divine  enterprises  became  the  very  pas- 
sion of  His  life,  and  that  whole  life  was  therefore  poured 
out  an  unbroken  service.  Jesus  never  rested  from  His 
work  with  God.  He  always  rested  in  His  work  with 
God.  Do  not  imagine  that  His  work  for  the  Father  be- 
gan with  the  Cross.  That  was  simply  the  culmination, 
the  final  movement  in  one  continuous  cooperation  with 
God.  Every  breath  He  drew  was  part  of  the  force  doing 
God's  work.  The  very  fact  of  His  living  was  in  itself 
cooperation  with  God. 

That  was  the  manifestation  of  Eternal  Life  in  its  ex- 
pression toward  God,  and  "as  He  is,  even  so  are  we  in 
this  world."  This  then  is  the  expression  of  the  life  of  the 
Christian.  First  confidence,  that  ever  lies  at  the  base  of  all 
fellowship  with  the  Father. 


56  TUB  LIFE   OP  THB  CHRISTIAN 

"They  that  trust  Him  wholly, 
Find  Him  wholly  true." 

We  cannot  try  to  trust  God,  but  if  Christ  have  His  way, 
trust  will  deepen  and  broaden,  and  become  profound. 
Yielded  to  the  indwelling  One,  we  shall  find  what  it  is  to 
have  perfect  confidence  in  God,  because  of  our  under- 
standing of  His  love. 

From  this  foundation  of  confidence  will  come  the  life 
of  communion.  Communion  means  friendship,  an  interest 
in  all  the  things  of  God,  and  a  conviction  of  His  interest 
in  all  the  things  of  our  lives.  Communion  will  express 
itself  in  familiar  intercourse,  an  intercourse  in  which  each 
both  speaks  and  listens.  All  the  highest  ideals  of  friend- 
ship are  realized  between  the  soul  and  God  in  communion. 
You  remember  the  story  of  the  old  Scotch  woman,  whose 
minister  was  absent  from  his  pulpit,  and  a  stranger 
preached  one  Sunday.  Somebody  asked  her  how  she 
had  enjoyed  the  message  of  the  stranger.  "Oh,"  she 
said,  "it  was  verra  gude,"  but  she  strangely  missed  her 
own  minister.  When  asked  why,  she  uttered  what  I 
think  was  the  rarest  and  most  beautiful  compliment  ever 
paid  to  a  minister.  "Weel,"  she  said,  "it  is  not  always 
what  oor  meenister  says,  but  I  never  listen  to  our  meen- 
ister  without  feeling  he  is  so  familiar  with  God."  Oh,  to  be 
familiar  with  God.  That  is  the  completion  and  fruitage 
of  communion. 

In  the  actual  experience  of  such  communion  the  whole 
life  becomes  cooperation  with  God.  There  is  nothing  of 
greater  importance  than  that  we  should  understand  this, 
that  when  we  are  living  in  true  relationship  with  God, 
our  whole  life  becomes  cooperation  with  Him.  A  Chris- 
tian cannot  live  without  working  for  God.    The  life  is  the 


ITS  EXPRESSION  57 

work.  If  we  believe  and  understand  this,  we  shall  cease 
making  false  divisions  between  the  secular  and  sacred, 
and  shall  no  longer  divide  our  lives  into  compartments, 
one  for  business,  for  pleasure,  for  home,  for  religion. 
Everything  in  the  vocation  in  which  you  abide  with  God 
is  cooperation  with  God,  and  with  the  great  forces  of  God, 
for  the  bringing  in  of  righteousness,  and  the  establishment 
of  His  Kingdom. 

Such  is  the  Christ  life  in  the  Christ,  and  such  is  the 
Christ  life  in  the  Christian  where  the  Christian  is  aban- 
doned to  the  Christ.  It  may  not  be  that  we  have  perfectly 
realized  experimentally  all  the  truth,  but  it  does  mean 
that  if  the  life  of  Christ  is  in  us,  we  must  test  ourselves 
in  the  light  of  that  revelation,  and  see  what  is  our  duty 
and  responsibility. 

Now  let  us  consider  what  is  the  expression  of  the 
Christ  life  toward  men.  Three  words  again  will  help 
us,  sincerity,  sympathy,  and  service.  What  is  sincerity? 
It  is  the  simplicity  of  righteousness  based  upon  the  sub- 
limity of  love.  Sincerity  simply  means  perfect  simplicity, 
not  the  simplicity  of  superficiality,  but  the  simplicity  of 
sublimity.  Is  there  anything  more  true  of  the  life  of  Christ 
than  that  of  the  simplicity  of  His  dealing  with  men.  There 
was  no  ulterior  motive  in  what  He  said  to  men.  There 
was  no  mental  reserve  when  He  talked  to  them.  There 
was  no  double  dealing  in  His  methods  with  men.  His 
whole  attitude  toward  them  was  characterized  by  freedom 
from  diplomacy,  or  subtlety.  Jesus  was  the  most  trans- 
parent man  that  ever  lived,  clear  as  the  light,  simple  as 
the  line  of  truth.  He  was  sincere,  and  therefore  without 
offence  in  His  dealings  with  men. 

The  Christian  life  always  expresses  itself  in  the  same 


58  THB  LIFE   OF   THB  CHRISTIAN 

way.  It  is  based  upon  love,  and  there  is  no  sentinel  of 
righteousness  so  strict  and  stringent  as  love.  To  do  right 
because  of  reputation,  to  do  right  because  it  is  the  correct 
thing,  to  do  right  to  escape  criticism,  all  such  motives  will 
fail  sooner  or  later.  To  do  right  because  I  love  is  the  one 
and  only  lasting  motive.    "Love  never  faileth." 

And  yet  more,  sympathy,  the  capacity  for  comradeship, 
the  measure  of  freedom  from  self-consciousness,  which 
gives  me  the  consciousness  of  my  brother's  conscious- 
ness, 

"A  heart  at  leisure  from  itself, 
To  soothe  and  sympathize." 

The  measure  of  our  ability  to  sympathize  with  someone 
else  is  the  measure  of  our  freedom  from  self-conscious- 
ness ;  and  the  measure  of  our  freedom  from  self-conscious- 
ness is  the  measure  of  our  love  consciousness.  Christ  was 
surcharged  with  this.  Sympathy  characterized  His  atti- 
tude toward  men.  Every  fibre  of  His  being  thrilled  to 
essential  love,  and  because  of  that  He  was  self-forgetful. 
It  would  have  been  one  great  transport  of  delight  to  see 
the  changes  passing  over  His  face.  If  a  woman  in  trouble 
came  near  Him,  He  was  troubled  with  her  trouble.  If 
a  child  played  near  Him,  He  played  with  the  child.  A 
recent  writer  has  declared  that  Christ  never  smiled.  Who 
told  him  so?  There  are  some  things  so  palpable  as  to 
be  taken  for  granted,  and  so  the  Scripture  makes  no  such 
declaration.  Of  course  He  smiled.  No  man  incapable 
of  smiling  loves  children,  or  can  be  loved  by  them.  This 
Man  took  them  in  His  arms,  put  one  of  them  in  the  midst 
of  His  disciples,  as  a  type  and  pattern  of  what  their  life 
should  be.    If  you  do  not  agree,  then  I  cannot  argue,  but 


ITS  BXPRBSSION  59 

I  know  this  Man  of  love  smiled  often.  If  we  had  met 
Him  in  those  days,  He  would  have  been  joyful  in  our 
joy,  or  sad  with  our  sorrow.  And  the  measure  in  which 
Christ  dwells  in  us,  is  the  measure  of  our  laughter  with 
the  man  who  laughs,  and  our  rejoicing  with  such  as  re- 
joice, and  our  ability  to  enter  into  the  realm  of  sorrow 
with  those  passing  through  its  shadow. 

The  sympathy  is  practical,  and  becomes  service.  It  is 
not  a  pity  which  weeps  and  passes  on  its  way  unhelping, 
but  a  pity  that  goes  down  to  the  need  of  the  man  with 
power  to  aid.  Such  pity  is  not  idle.  It  is  rather  a  mighty 
impulse  to  serve,  and  the  measure  of  the  service  is  sacri- 
iicial.  The  difference  between  the  service  which  is 
Christly,  and  all  other  may  be  gauged  by  the  cost  to  the 
man  who  is  serving.  We  begin  to  express  the  Christ 
life  when  our  service  to  humanity  costs  us  something.  It 
is  possible  for  a  very  wealthy  man  without  the  Spirit  of 
the  Christ,  to  sign  checks,  but  when  the  check  is  signed 
in  blood,  Christ  is  behind  the  signing.  It  is  possible  for 
a  person  to  visit  the  slums  of  a  great  city,  and  return  to 
sit  in  the  midst  of  luxury,  and  write  some  article  on  How 
the  poor  live.  But  when  a  girl  turns  her  back  upon  lux- 
ury, and  dons  the  uniform  of  a  Salvation  lass,  and  lives 
in  the  slum,  you  may  know  that  Christ  lives  in  her.  Until 
virtue  goes  out  of  the  preacher,  he  has  never  preached. 
Until  into  our  service  there  comes  the  element  of  the 
Cross,  there  is  nothing  of  the  Christ  Spirit  in  the  service. 

And  finally,  the  expression  of  the  Christ  life  toward 
evil  is  first  that  of  antipathy.  The  whole  life  of  Jesus 
was  a  life  of  hatred  of  evil.  He  was  able  to  say  "The 
prince  of  the  world  cometh :  and  he  hath  nothing  in  Me." 
In  His  heart  there  lurked  no  hidden  admiration  of  the 


60  THU  LIFB  OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

things  that  were  unlike  God,  and  in  His  mind  there  was 
no  approximation  toward  evil.  You  say,  but  here  is  the 
difference.  And  yet  think  again.  You  tell  me  you  still 
love  evil.  I  do  not  believe  it.  Are  you  truly  a  Christian  ? 
Then  while  it  is  perfectly  true  that  evil  may  fascinate 
you,  as  it  is  presented  to  you  in  such  guise  as  to  be  a 
temptation,  yet  get  to  the  deepest  fact  of  your  life.  All 
the  while  if  Christ  be  there,  you  hate  the  thing  which 
is  fascinating  you.  You  would  give  anything  to  be  rid 
of  it.  Trust  that  profounder  consciousness.  Trust  it,  and 
yield  to  it.  In  the  matter  of  evil  the  first  evidence  of  the 
presence  in  you  of  the  Christ  is  a  dislike  for  it,  an  antip- 
athy toward  it.  The  proportion  of  our  devotion  to  Christ, 
and  of  our  submission  to  the  inspiration  of  His  life  is  the 
proportion  in  which  we  also  lose  our  love  for  evil,  and 
sin  becomes  a  hateful  thing. 

This  antipathy  toward  evil  issues  in  antagonism.  Here 
also  we  claim  union  with  Christ.  Christ  definitely  refused 
to  let  evil  alone.  So  will  every  Christian.  "The  plea  of 
evil"  as  Mr.  Watkinson  says,  is  ''let  us  alone,  Jesus  Thou 
Son  of  God."  This  is  its  cry  today,  in  the  city,  in 
the  nation,  in  our  own  heart.  "Let  us  alone,"  do  not  in- 
terfere with  us.  And  the  true  Christian  is  always  saying 
Come  out.  So  surely  as  the  Christ  life  is  in  us,  with 
merciless,  ruthless,  and  pitiless  determination  our  life  will 
be  poured  out  in  unceasing  attack  upon  the  strongholds 
of  evil  in  the  city,  in  the  nation,  in  the  home,  and  every- 
where. In  the  wilderness  Jesus  said,  "Get  thee  hence, 
Satan,"  and  He  will  never  cease  His  work  until  the  enemy 
is  finally  cast  out.  If  our  life  be  Christ's  life,  then  we 
can  never  sign  a  truce  with  evil.  We  cannot  sit  down 
and  be  indifferent  to  its  presence. 


ITS  BXPRBSSION  61 

And  then  thank  God  for  the  last  word.  The  Christ 
Hfe  was  that  of  authority  over  evil.  Because  Christ  has 
won  the  battle  already,  the  life  of  His  follower  shares  His 
authority.  It  is  most  interesting  to  notice  in  the  study 
of  the  life  of  Jesus  that  from  that  wilderness  tempta- 
tion on  to  the  end,  He  never  argued  with  the  devil  again. 
Whenever  He  came  into  contact  with  him,  or  with  the 
evil  spirits,  it  was  with  the  tone  of  authority,  and  the 
authority  was  immediately  obeyed.  The  Christ  life  in 
the  believer  sets  him  in  antipathy  to  evil,  and  gives  him 
a  marvellous  and  mystic  authority  over  it.  If  we  will 
let  Him  speak  through  us,  then  He  through  us,  and  we 
through  Him,  can  master  every  form  of  evil. 

This  then  is  the  expression  of  the  Christ  life,  and  there 
can  be  no  simulation  of  it.  I  cannot  imitate  it.  It  is 
possible  to  make  flowers  of  wax,  but  the  difference  be- 
tween them  and  the  flowers  of  God  that  bloom  and  blow 
is  the  difference  between  the  finite  and  infinite  beauty. 
It  is  possible  to  paint  a  picture  of  some  great  landscape, 
but  after  all  it  is  but  a  gathering  of  colours,  and  the  fling- 
ing of  them  with  genius  upon  a  canvas ;  and  the  difference 
between  the  picture  and  the  landscape  is  the  difference  be- 
tween the  copyist  and  the  Creator.  It  is  possible  to  imitate 
the  Christian  graces  and  virtues,  but  the  difference  be- 
tween such  imitation  and  the  actual  Christian  life  is  the 
difference  between  base  metal  and  the  coinage  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  We  cannot  imitate  this  life.  Our  imitation 
will  lack  life.  There  may  be  some  things  which  appear 
to  be  remarkable  imitations  of  Christianity,  but  bring  them 
and  the  Christ  together,  and  you  will  at  once  find  the 
infinite  distance.  There  is  only  one  way  in  which  such 
life  may  be  expressed,  and  that  is  by  the  indwelling  Christ 


62  THB  UPB  OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

Himself  outworking  all  the  beauties  of  His  character 
through  the  duties  and  activities  of  the  life  of  His  child. 
And  yet  a  final  word.  Is  the  life  present?  Then  let 
there  be  no  discouragement  because  as  yet  the  blossom 
and  the  fruitage  are  not  perfect.  First  the  blade,  and 
then  the  ear,  and  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  Thank 
God  if  the  blade  be  peeping  above  the  brown  soil  today. 
It  is  the  prophecy  and  potentiality  of  Christ-likeness 
which  at  last  shall  be  found  in  perfection  even  in  our  lives. 


THE    LIFE    OF   THE   CHRISTIAN— ITS 
CONSCIOUSNESS. 


63 


'Thrice  blest  is  he  to  whom  is  given 

The  instinct  that  can  tell 
That  God  is  on  the  field  when  He 

Is  most  invisible. 

Blest  too  is  he  who  can  divine 
Where  real  right  doth  lie, 

And  dares  to  take  the  side  that  seems 
Wrong  to  man's  blindfold  eye. 


For  right  is  right,  since  God  is  God, 

And  right  the  day  must  win; 
To  doubt  would  be  disloyalty. 

To  falter  would  be  sin." 

— Faber. 

"Happy  in  knowing  Thee,  my  Lord  and  God; 

Happy  in  finding  Thee,  my  treasure  true; 
Happy  in  following  Thee,  through  ill  and  good, 
In  toiling  for  Thee,  and  in  suffering  too." 

— Bonar. 

"Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart. 

They  have  learned  the  angel-art, 
While  on  earth  in  heaven  to  be, 
God,  by  sense  unseen,  to  see. 

Cleansed  from  sin's  offensive  stain, 
Fellowship  with  Him  they  gain; 

Nearness,  likeness  to  their  Lord, 
Their  exceeding  great  reward. 

****** 
Serious,  simple  of  intent, 

Teachably  intelligent. 
Rapt,  they  search  the  written  word, 
Till  His  very  voice  is  heard. 
****** 

— W.  M.  Bunting. 
64 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  IvI^E  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN — ITS  CONSCIOUSNESS. 

"Now  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God:  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him;  and  he  cannot  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  judged.  But  he  that  is  spiritual 
judgeth  all  things,  and  he  himself  is  judged  of  no  man.  For 
who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  that  he  should  instruct 
Him?    But  we  have  the  mind  of  Christ."    I.  Cor.  ii.  14-16. 

"Father,  the  hour  is  come;  glorify  Thy  Son,  that  the  Son 
may  glorify  Thee:  even  as  Thou  gavest  Him  authority  over  all 
flesh,  that  to  all  whom  Thou  hast  given  Him,  He  should  give 
eternal  life.  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they  should  know  Thee 
the  only  true  God,  and  Him  Whom  Thou  didst  send,  even  Jesus 
Christ.  O  righteous  Father,  the  world  knew  Thee  not,  but  I 
knew  Thee;  and  these  knew  that  Thou  didst  send  Me;  and  I 
made  known  unto  them  Thy  name,  and  will  make  it  known ;  that 
the  love  wherewith  Thou  lovedst  Me  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in 
them."    John  xvii.  1-3. 

"  Have  this  mind  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Phil.  ii.  5. 

The  Christ  life  dominant  in  man  will  not  only  express 
itself  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  Hfe  of  Jesus:  it  will 
also  enter  into  His  consciousness.  In  approaching  this 
subject  we  must  define  the  word  consciousness.  There 
is  another  word  which  we  always  strive  to  avoid  in  cer- 
tain aspects  of  Christian  work.  It  is  the  word  feeling. 
In  dealing  with  enquirers  we  urge  them  not  to  wait  for 
feeling,  but  to  exercise  faith.  But  that  is  not  to  say  that 
E  65 


66  THE  LIFE   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

there  is  no  feeling  in  the  experience  of  Christianity.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  there  is  a  most  definite  consciousness 
which  is  pecuHar  to  the  Christian,  and  our  present  sub- 
ject has  to  do  with  that. 

The  order  of  procedure  in  the  Christian  economy  is 
first  the  fact,  then  faith  taking  hold  of  the  fact,  and 
finally,  feeling  growing  out  of  the  faith  which  takes 
hold  of  the  fact.  Whenever  faith  fastens  upon  the  fact, 
feeling  follows. 

What  then  is  this  feeling,  this  consciousness  of  the 
Christian  ?  Just  as  the  life  of  the  Christian  is  Christ,  and 
the  sustenance  of  the  Christian  life  is  Christ,  and  the  ex- 
pression of  Christian  life  is  Christ,  so  the  consciousness 
of  the  Christian  is  that  of  Christ  Himself.  That  is  the 
whole  answer.  That  is  the  essential  light  in  which  all 
the  colours  commingle.  All  I  can  do  is  to  attempt  to 
break  the  light  up  into  some  of  its  component  parts. 
There  is  no  music  outside  that  name,  no  value  apart 
from  Him.  When  Christ  dwells  in  a  man,  and  the  man's 
life  is  sustained  by  Him,  He  thinks,  feels,  and  is  conscious 
in  that  one. 

In  writing  to  the  Thessalonian  Christians  the  apostle 
speaks  of  their  "whole  spirit,  soul,  and  body."  That  ex- 
pression has  been  used  to  indicate  the  presence  of  a  three- 
fold fact  in  human  personality.  In  some  senses  that  is 
true.  Perhaps  the  more  correct  way  to  state  it  would 
be  to  say  that  man  is  a  spirit,  indwelling  a  body,  and  hav- 
ing a  mind  or  consciousness.  The  nature  of  this  con- 
sciousness depends  upon  the  relation  which  the  body  and 
the  spirit  bear  to  each  other.  It  may  be  fleshly,  it  may 
be  spiritual.  The  mind  which  is  the  centre  of  the  being 
as  to  its  consciousness,  will  reflect  pre-eminently  that 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNESS  67 

which  is  regnant  in  the  personality.  Where  the  flesh 
reigns,  the  mind  will  be  fleshly.  Where  the  spirit  reigns, 
the  mind  will  be  spiritual.  In  unregenerate  man  the 
consciousness  is  fleshly.  The  physical  side  of  nature 
crowned  and  considered  perpetually,  the  mind  is  neces- 
sarily fleshly.  The  regenerate  man,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
one  in  whom  there  has  taken  place  the  restoration  of  a 
Divine  order,  and  his  own  spiritual  nature  is  recognized 
as  the  supreme  fact  in  his  personality.  Where  this  is  so, 
the  consciousness  becomes  spiritual.  He  looks  at  all  things 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  spiritual. 

In  writing  to  the  Corinthians,  the  apostle  makes  a  posi- 
tive declaration,  "we  have  the  mind  of  Christ.'*  In  writ- 
ing to  the  Philippians,  he  enjoins  them  "have  this  mind 
in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus."  The  word  "mind" 
in  the  first  verse  is  not  exactly  the  same  word  Paul  used 
when  he  wrote  "have  this  mind  in  you."  It  is  in  some 
senses  a  simpler  word,  meaning  less,  and  yet  in  the  pres- 
ent study  of  greater  value.  We  shall  do  no  violence  to 
the  real  thought  of  the  apostle  if  we  substitute  for  "mind" 
the  word  "intelligence,"  "We  have  the  intelligence  of 
Christ."  That  is  the  sense  in  which  we  have  the  con- 
sciousness of  Christ. 

Thus  we  have  here  the  statement  of  an  essential  fact, 
and  an  injunction  to  realize  that  fact  in  experience.  This 
is  the  perpetual  method  of  the  apostle  in  urging  Chris- 
tians to  the  fulfilment  of  the  ideal  of  the  Christ  life. 
He  states  a  position  with  great  clearness,  and  yet  urges 
as  a  duty  the  realization  of  the  truth  declared.  As  on 
other  occasions  he  says,  "Ye  have  put  off  the  old  man 
.  .  .  put  off  the  old  man;"  "Ye  have  put  on  the 
new  man     .     .     .     put  on  the  new  man ;"  so  in  bring- 


68  THE  LIFB  OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

ing  these  two  statements  together,  we  adopt  the  same 
method.  "We  have  the  mind  of  Christ"  .  .  .  "Have 
the  mind  of  Christ/'  which  simply  means,  respond  in 
experience  to  the  fact  of  your  privilege.  Let  the  Chris- 
tian who  shares  the  Christ  life,  live  the  Christ  life.  Let 
the  Christian  who  has  the  mind  of  Christ,  have  the  mind 
of  Christ. 

"We  have  the  intelligence  of  Christ."  The  apostle  here 
quotes,  adapting  the  literal  form  to  the  necessity  of  his 
own  argument,  the  old  time  words. 

Things  which  eye  saw  not,  and  ear  heard  not, 
And  which  entered  not  into  the  heart  of  man. 
Whatsoever  things  God  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him." 

These  words  are  constantly  quoted  by  Christians 
to  prove  that  we  cannot  know  these  things, — a  curious 
misquotation  of  Scripture.  Read  the  context  and 
you  will  find  that  Paul  quotes  it  to  show  that  that  con- 
dition has  passed  away,  that  the  Christian  does  know, 
for  he  goes  on,  "But  unto  us  God  revealed  them  through 
the  Spirit."  The  apostle  declares  here  that  the  natural 
man  cannot  know  what  the  spiritual  man  does  know, 
and  that  the  consciousness  which  the  natural  man  lacks, 
the  spiritual  man  has.  So  that  the  great  subject  here  is 
that  of  the  Christian  consciousness,  the  Christian  in- 
telligence, the  Christian  mind,  which  means  more  than 
intelligence,  including  also  the  emotion,  and  the  will,  that 
consciousness  intellectual,  emotional,  volitional,  which  is 
the  result  of  spiritual  life  and  spiritual  indwelling. 

The  purpose  of  the  present  study  is  that  of  examining 
this  great  fact.  This  is  the  surest  way  to  the  realization 
of  the  experience.    In  proportion  as  we  have  full  knowl- 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNBSS  69 

edge  of  our  privileges  in  Christ  are  we  likely  to  abandon 
ourselves  to  all  the  glorious  possibilities;  and  so  realize 
our  standing  as  a  state. 

In  his  epistle  to  the  Philippians,  after  charging  the 
saints  that  they  have  the  mind  of  Christ,  the  apostle  pro- 
ceeds not  so  much  to  describe  that  mind,  as  to  declare  the 
activities  that  grow  therefrom.  The  sublime  passage 
which  follows,  describing  as  it  does  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  God  from  the  high  state  of  the  eternal  glory, 
down  to  the  lowest  level  of  man's  degradation  and  need, 
constitutes  an  almost  startling  unveiling  of  the  mind  of 
Christ.  As  we  watch  with  wonder  and  adoration  the 
method  of  the  Master,  we  discover  His  mind.  As  we 
examine  the  conduct  of  the  Christ,  we  are  made  aware 
of  His  consciousness. 

There  can  be  but  one  thought  uppermost  in  such  a 
study.  It  is  that  of  His  love.  Love  is  the  active  prin- 
ciple behind  the  great  humiliation.  But  it  may  reverently 
be  enquired.  What  lay  at  the  back  of  the  love,  creating  it  ? 
And  perhaps  the  safest  method  of  interpretation  is  that  of 
listening  to  the  statements  of  Christ  Himself.  For  those 
which  will  help  us  most  at  this  point,  let  us  turn  to  the 
great  intercessory  prayer  in  which  the  Lord  is  speaking 
immediately  to  His  Father.  In  the  earlier  sentences  of 
the  prayer  He  says,  ''And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
should  know  Thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Him  Whom 
Thou  didst  send,  even  Jesus  Christ."  At  the  close  of 
the  prayer  we  read  again,  "Oh  righteous  Father,  the 
world  knew  Thee  not,  but  I  knew  Thee ;  and  these  knew 
that  Thou  didst  send  Me ;  and  I  made  known  unto  them 
Thy  name,  and  will  make  it  known ;  that  the  love  where- 
with Thou  lovedst  Me  may  be  in  them,  and  I  in  them." 


70  THB  UPB  OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

Here  carefully  notice  the  sequence.  Speaking  of  the 
revelation  that  He  has  made  to  His  disciples  He  says, 
*'I  have  made  known  unto  them  Thy  name,"  and  further 
affirms  that  the  reason  for  this  is  that  the  love  of  God 
which  He  had  for  Christ  may  be  in  them.  Then  it  is 
evident  that  at  the  back  of  the  love  consciousness  was 
the  knowledge  of  God.  This  harmonizes  with  that  orig- 
inal word  "This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  should  know 
Thee  the  only  true  God."  The  supreme  consciousness  of 
Christ  then,  was  the  consciousness  of  God.  Everything 
else  was  conditioned  and  included  within  this  supreme 
knowledge.  He  was  conscious  of  God  supremely,  over 
all,  and  under  all,  and  in  all,  and  through  all.  We  may 
therefore  consider  this  consciousness  as  objective  and  sub- 
jective, as  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  as  the  knowledge 
of  everything  else  in  relation  to  God. 

The  supreme  intelligence  of  Christ  was  the  intelligence 
of  God,  and  therefore  His  knowledge  of  all  other  things, 
being  related  to  that,  was  true  knowledge,  truth  and 
never  error,  light  and  never  darkness,  nor  even  twilight. 
If  He  saw  a  flower.  He  saw  God.  If  he  saw  a  child,  He 
saw  God.  If  He  saw  the  movements  of  His  age.  He 
saw  God.  Now  this  is  not  Pantheism.  Jesus  did  not  im- 
agine that  the  flower  was  God.  He  did  not  think  that  the 
child  was  God,  or  even  part  of  God.  Wherever  He  looked, 
and  whatever  He  saw,  the  supreme  fact  evident  to  His 
mind,  underlying  and  enwrapping  all  works  and  words 
and  thoughts  was  the  God-consciousness. 

This  objective  consciousness  was  manifest  on  every 
side  of  His  personality.  Intellectually,  emotionally,  and 
volitionally,  His  mind  was  conscious  of  God.    Jesus  of 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNBSS  71 

Nazareth  was  a  perfect  Instrument,  perfectly  adjusted  for 
the  perfect  reaHzation  of  God  and  truth.  His  intellect 
was  unclouded,  His  emotion  was  undegraded,  His  will 
was  perfectly  poised  and  balanced  in  true  relation  to  a 
supreme  authority. 

Think  of  the  perfect  consciousness  resulting  from  that 
perfection  of  the  instrument,  so  that  God  was  intellectu- 
ally apprehended.  To  the  mind  of  Jesus  the  knowledge 
of  God  was  not  speculative  or  argumentative,  but  per- 
sonal and  immediate.  He  knew  God  not  by  the  demon- 
stration of  an  intellectual  argument,  but  by  personal  con- 
tact and  spiritual  communion.  It  is  worthy  of  notice 
that  in  all  His  preaching  He  never  once  argued  for  the 
existence  of  God.  The  great  fact  to  Him  was  one  that 
admitted  of  no  denial,  and  therefore  needed  no  defence. 
He  never  dreamed  that  there  was  any  necessity  to  prove 
the  existence  of  God.  "My  Father,"  "My  Father,"  and  the 
infinite  music  runs  on  through  all  the  story  of  His  life. 

Then  not  only  was  God  known  to  Him,  He  was  emo- 
tionally apprehended  by  Him.  He  knew  God  as  to  His 
love.  We  take  again  the  word  which  demonstrated  the 
fact  of  His  consciousness  intellectually,  and  use  it  as  in 
harmony  with  the  emotional  consciousness,  "Father."  It 
was  not  a  new  word,  but  it  gained  infinite  meaning  as 
He  spoke  it.  It  was  not  even  a  new  word  for  God,  for 
it  was  known  long  before  He  came  in  the  flesh.  Jesus 
so  constantly  used  it  in  such  varied  circumstances  that 
somehow  it  became  radiant  with  new  meaning,  and  when- 
ever He  said  "Father,"  the  very  anthem  of  love  broke 
upon  the  listening  air.  "The  Son  Who  is  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Father"  was  conscious  of  and  actuated  by,  the  love 


72  THB  UFB   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

of  God.  All  the  great  utterances  in  which  He  spoke  of 
the  Father  to  men,  thrilled  with  the  tenderness  of  the 
Divine  heart. 

And  yet  once  more,  not  only  was  He  intellectually  and 
emotionally  conscious  of  God,  He  was  volitionally  con- 
scious of  God.  He  knew  that  the  will  of  God  was  the 
ultimate  authority  for  all  those  created  by  God,  their 
final  court  of  appeal.  He  knew  God  is,  that  was  intel- 
lectual apprehension.  He  knew  He  is  Love,  that  was 
emotional  apprehension.  He  knew  He  is  King,  that  is 
volitional  apprehension.  Wherever  He  looked  He  saw 
God,  whatever  He  listened  to  He  heard  God,  wherever 
He  found  Himself  He  was  in  the  presence  of  God. 

We  have  the  mind  of  Christ.  This  is  eternal  life,  to 
know  Him.  It  is  varied,  many  sided,  many  coloured, 
having  all  kinds  of  expression.  "Blessed  are  the  pure 
in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God."  That  this  was  so  in  the 
case  of  Christ  becomes  evident  from  the  most  casual  sur- 
vey of  the  story  of  His  life.  Whether  in  the  common- 
places or  the  crises,  in  the  small  details  or  infinite  duties, 
He  is  ever  revealed  as  One  Who  is  acting  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  presence  and  power  of  His  Father. 

This  objective  consciousness  of  God  necessarily  issues 
in  a  subjective  consciousness  determined  and  dominated 
thereby.  He  was  of  course  conscious  of  all  the  facts  by 
which  He  was  surrounded  in  life.  And  yet  His  con- 
sciousness of  these  was  created  and  conditioned  by  His 
consciousness  of  God.  Every  form  of  being  was  seen 
by  Him  in  relation  to  God  as  Origin.  All  purpose  was 
seen  by  Him  in  relation  to  God  as  Love.  And  all  re- 
alization was  seen  by  Him  in  relation  to  God  as  King. 
What  lay  behind  the  universe  to  the  mind  of  Christ? 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNESS  73 

God.  What  was  the  solution  of  the  mystery  of  the  earth? 
God.  He  looked  into  the  face  of  a  man,  and  what  did  He 
see?  The  image  of  God,  even  though  that  image  was 
oftentimes  defaced.  Only  spiritually  enlightened  eyes  see 
that  image  as  He  saw  it.  He  saw  God  everywhere,  and 
the  vision  was  interpretative  of  all  else. 

And  not  merely  in  these  things,  but  in  everything  else. 
He  saw  God  in  human  history.  All  movements  were 
for  Him  tested  by  the  relation  they  bore  to  God.  Stretch- 
ing out  over  all  the  affairs  of  individuals  and  of  nations 
He  saw  the  precise  line  of  the  Divine  will  and  purpose, 
and  that  it  was  to  be  measured  in  its  relation  to  God  as 
Love.  Jesus'  was  the  true  altruism,  the  true  utilitarian- 
ism. Some  people  seem  to  want  to  divorce  utilitarianism 
and  beauty.  Not  so  the  Christ.  In  the  true  conscious- 
ness of  God  there  is  no  divorce  between  these  things.  It 
has  been  said, 

"Straight  is  the  line  of  duty, 
Curved  is  the  line  of  beauty." 

That  is  surely  false.  How  far  is  it  possible  to  draw  a 
straight  line  without  it  becoming  a  curved  one?  Unless 
you  are  a  believer  in  the  flat  earth  theory,  there  is  no 
straight  line  that  does  not  curve  into  beauty.  The  final 
geometric  symbol  of  God  is  the  circle.  "It  is  He  that 
sitteth  above  the  circle  of  the  earth."  And  every  line  of 
duty  that  appears  straight  today,  tramp  it  long  enough, 
and  it  will  grow  into  beauty.  Christ  saw  that.  He  saw 
the  purpose  of  love  at  the  back  of  all  the  austerity  and 
severity  of  law.  His  vision  of  the  race  was  the  vision 
of  a  commonwealth.  Oh  those  little  things  He  said  that 
are   so   profound   in   their   philosophy,    "One   is  j^our 


74     .  THB  IIPB   OF   THB  CHRISTIAN 

Teacher,  and  all  ye  are  brethren."  That  is  the  true  na- 
tion, the  true  commonwealth.  The  only  true  monarch 
and  King  is  God's  anointed  King,  and  the  race  will  never 
have  its  true  commonwealth  until  He  come.  Christ  was 
conscious  of  Love  enfolding  and  enwrapping  everything. 

Then  all  realization  of  purpose  was  seen  by  Jesus  in 
relation  to  God  as  King.  Things  were  to  be  rejected  ac- 
cording as  they  failed  to  coincide  with  that  standard  of 
requirement.  All  responding  to  Divine  intention  in  char- 
acter and  conduct  was  satisfactory  in  itself  and  perma- 
nent. A  man  never  finds  real  freedom  of  the  will  until 
he  has  found  the  seat  of  authority,  and  has  put  Christ 
there  as  King.  Christ  knew  that.  That  was  His  mean- 
ing when  He  said,  ''Seek  ye  first  His  Kingdom  and  His 
righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto 
you." 

This  God-consciousness  moreover,  dominated  the  emo- 
tional side  of  His  nature.  It  created  in  Him  a  great  un- 
rest, and  an  unending  sorrow.  His  God-illumined  intel- 
ligence, revealing  the  failure  of  all  that  harmonized  with 
the  Divine  intention,  created  sorrow;  because  of  the  in- 
finite love  of  the  Father,  which  expressed  itself  in  Him 
with  unvarying  insistence.  In  the  presence  of  this  failure 
there  could  be  for  Him  no  rest,  no  cessation  of  activity, 
no  sitting  in  personal  ease.  "My  Father  worketh  even 
until  now,  and  I  work,"  are  words  that  reveal  a  Divine 
discontent  with  all  that  was  unlike  God.  This  discontent 
manifested  itself  occasionally  in  the  tears  that  told  of  His 
anguish,  and  perpetually  in  the  sacrificial  service  wliich 
characterized  the  busy  years. 

And  yet  again,  contradictory  as  it  may  seem,  this  con- 
sciousness of  God  in  the  emotional  nature  gave  Him  an 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNBSS  75 

unbroken  peace,  and  an  unceasing  joy.  In  the  heart  of 
this  intercessory  prayer,  which  was  uttered  when  the 
shadow  of  the  Cross  fell  over  all  His  life.  He  prayed 
that  His  disciples  might  have  His  joy.  How  strange  a 
petition  it  seems.  He  was  pre-eminently  in  the  presence 
of  the  world's  sin  and  sorrow  the  Man  of  Sorrows;  and 
yet  the  highest  desire  of  His  heart  for  men  is  that  they 
may  share  His  joy.  This  joy  in  the  midst  of  sorrow  was 
due  to  His  consciousness  of  the  ultimate  victory  of  God 
in  love  over  sin.  Not  only  His  intelligence,  but  His  very 
heart  was  linked  to  the  Throne  of  the  Eternal.  He  knew 
God,  and  knew  Him  in  all  the  majesty  of  His  infinite  and 
unfailing  love.  Thus,  while  there  was  ever  a  great  sor- 
row in  His  heart,  and  a  Divine  discontent  in  the  presence 
of  sin,  yet  there  was  also  a  joy  and  content  in  the  abso- 
lute assurance  of  the  ultimate  triumph  of  love. 

And  yet  once  more,  and  this  is  the  sequence  of  what 
has  already  been  considered,  His  will  was  always  sub- 
missive to  the  will  of  God  concerning  all  the  things  by 
which  He  was  surrounded.  Intellectually  conscious  of 
God,  and  certain  of  that  Love  which  never  failed,  He  was 
moreover  conscious  of  the  infinite  wisdom  and  tender 
compassion  and  assured  triumph  of  all  the  will  of  His 
Father.  Therefore,  with  unswerving  loyalty.  He  sub- 
mitted Himself  to  that  will,  whether  it  chose  for  Him  the 
path  of  sorrow  or  of  joy,  knowing  right  well  that  such 
wisdom  and  such  Love  could  only  choose  the  best,  and 
must  lead  right  onward  to  all  highest  victory. 

This  then  is  the  mind  that  is  in  the  Christian.  The  first 
and  final  consciousness  of  all  those  in  whom  Christ  lives 
and  reigns,  is  the  consciousness  of  God.  This  may  appear 
at  first  to  be  a  statement  which  hardly  harmonizes  with 


76  THB   UFB   OF   THB  CHRISTIAN 

experience,  and  yet  a  careful  consideration  will  prove 
that  it  is  actually  true.  In  the  light  of  such  consideration 
we  may  be  very  much  tempted  to  say  that  we  have  no 
such  consciousness.  We  become  submerged  in  the  neces- 
sary duties  of  this  life,  and  are  ever  surrounded  by  so 
many  facts  which  appeal  to  us,  that  it  would  seem  as 
though  forgetfulness  of  God,  rather  than  consciousness 
of  Him,  characterizes  the  experience  of  most  of  the  days. 
It  should,  however,  never  be  forgotten  that  perpetual 
consciousness  of  God  does  not  necessarily  mean  actual 
thinking  of  Him  in  the  surface  activities  of  the  mind. 
It  is  rather  a  perpetual  and  deep  subconsciousness,  which 
almost  unconsciously,  yet  constantly,  and  effectively 
dominates  other  feelings,  masters  all  impulses,  and  holds 
in  check  the  surface  activities  of  the  mind. 

There  can  be  no  finer  illustration  of  it  than'  the  illustra- 
tion of  the  constant  consciousness  of  each  other  which 
exists  between  man  and  woman  in  the  marriage  relation- 
ship. They  may  often  be  separated  from  each  other,  and 
during  the  periods  of  separation  will  think  of  a  thousand 
matters,  and  be  busy  in  as  many  directions.  Whole  hours 
will  pass  in  which  the  sacred  relationship  is  not  present 
to  the  surface  of  consciousness.  And  yet  the  relation- 
ship is  never  forgotten.  It  is  a  subconsciousness,  holding 
all  the  life  in  relation  to  itself,  and  making  impossible  any 
deed,  or  word,  or  thought  even,  which  is  out  of  harmony 
with  that  supreme  matter. 

That  is  the  true  consciousness  of  every  soul  in  whom 
Christ  dwells.  The  immediate  surroundings  and  condi- 
tions of  the  life  of  the  Christian  may  be  exactly  what  they 
were  before  relationship  to  Christ  commenced.  And  yet 
they  are  absolutely  different.    Before  the  life  was  yielded 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNESS  77 

to  Christ  the  day  was  spent  in  the  doing  of  certain  routine 
duties  in  some  schoolroom,  or  store,  or  office.  That  Hfe 
will  be  continued.  After  it  has  been  abandoned  to  Christ, 
the  same  duties  have  to  be  performed,  the  same  kind  of 
persons  have  to  be  dealt  with,  and  yet  the  whole  is  radi- 
cally changed.  The  old  life  was  temporal,  the  new  is 
eternal.  In  the  past  the  duties  had  no  relation  to  God. 
In  the  present  every  minutest  detail  is  immediately  re- 
lated to  Him.  He  in  whom  Christ  dwells  is  conscious 
of  God  as  Christ  was  conscious  of  God.  To  such  an  one 
a  little  child  is  no  longer  an  interesting  and  playful  ani- 
mal, or  even  merely  an  undeveloped  member  of  a  human 
race,  destined  to  get  on  in  the  world.  It  is  rather  one 
of  those  strange  and  marvellous  beings  whose  angels 
always  behold  the  face  of  the  Father  in  heaven,  rather 
than  offend  whom  it  were  better  that  a  mill-stone  should 
be  hanged  about  the  neck,  and  the  person  offending 
drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea.  When  Christ  is  at  the 
centre  of  the  life  men  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  they 
were.  An  unregenerate  man,  looking  into  the  face  of  an- 
other man,  sees  in  him  an  opportunity  for  his  personal  en- 
richment in  some  form.  His  question  is.  How  much  can 
I  get  out  of  that  man  ?  It  may  not  always  be  money,  but 
perhaps  friendship,  and  love.  Christ  summarized  the 
whole  attitude  in  the  words,  "Ye  love  them  that  love 
you/'  But  if  Christ  be  in  the  life,  then  the  question  is 
an  entirely  new  one.  How  much  can  I  put  into  that  man  ? 
How  much  can  I  do  for  him  ?  The  man  is  still  there,  but 
the  God-consciousness  creates  an  entirely  new  view  of 
him. 

Or  again,  a  man  of  the  world  will  pick  up  his  news- 
paper, and  see  that  two  great  powers  are  threatening 


78  THB  LIPB   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

to  engage  in  an  awful  struggle,  and  he  immediately  thinks 
of  the  effect  which  will  be  produced  upon  the  markets.  A 
Christian  man  taking  up  his  paper,  and  reading  of  such 
possibility,  will  think  of  widows,  and  orphans,  and  suf- 
fering, and  sorrow. 

And  yet  again  in  this  same  connection,  the  man  of  the 
world  will  feel  in  his  heart  a  sense  of  panic  in  the  pres- 
ence of  national  struggle.  But  the  man  looking  at  all 
these  things  with  the  God-consciousness,  will  be  at  peace 
in  the  deepest  fact  of  his  life,  for  he  will  recognize  the 
Divine  movement,  and  will  hear  above  the  turmoil  the 
voice  of  God  saying,  "I  will  overturn,  overturn,  over- 
turn it  .  .  .  until  He  come  Whose  right  it  is;  and 
I  will  give  it  Him."  The  one  man  looking  only  at  the 
things  seen  may  be  troubled  and  perplexed,  and  speak  of 
chaos.  But  the  other  from  his  consciousness  of  God,  will 
be  quiet  and  calm,  as  he  is  conscious  of  the  certainty  of 
the  emergence  of  the  cosmos  from  the  chaos. 

This  supreme  consciousness  must  have  the  effect  of 
destroying  everything  that  is  low  and  mean  and  base. 
All  littleness  and  meanness  of  motive  become  impossible 
to  one  to  whom  God  is  the  all-inclusive  fact.  Conscious 
of  God,  a  man  has  no  place  in  his  being  for  jealousy, 
criticism,  cynicism.  Nothing  so  broadens  the  outlook,  and 
ennobles  the  impulse,  and  dignifies  the  conduct  as  a  con- 
sciousness of  God  which  illumines  the  intelligence,  and 
conditions  the  emotion,  and  masters  the  will. 

The  measure  in  which  Christ  has  possession  of  our 
lives  is  the  measure  in  which  our  consciousness  of  God 
is  keen  and  alert.  If  we  find  it  necessary  to  defend  the 
existence  of  God  to  our  own  hearts,  or  to  remind  our- 
selves occasionally  and  spasmodically  of  His  government 


ITS  CONSCIOUSNESS  79 

and  His  love,  it  is  because  we  are  failing  to  live  in  im- 
mediate fellowship  with  Christ  Himself.  It  is  impossible 
to  force  this  consciousness.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is 
ours  if  indeed  we  have  been  born  again  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  '*We  have  the  mind  of  Christ."  He  is  the  revela- 
tion of  God  to  us.  To  know  Him  is  to  know  God,  and 
to  know  God  is  life  eternal.  Are  there  any  two  words 
which  being  brought  together,  mean  quite  the  same  as 
these  two  words  ?  Life,  eternal  life !  There  is  no  nar- 
rowness in  that.  There  is  no  meanness  there.  There  is 
no  selfishness,  no  cynical  criticism,  no  little  half-blind 
pessimism,  no  childish  frivolity.  Everything  is  spacious, 
free,  infinite,  grand,  majestic.  "We  have  the  mind  of 
Christ."  Let  it  be  ours  by  response  to  all  His  indwelling, 
to  obey  the  injunction,  and  ''have  the  mind  of  Christ." 


THE    LIFE    OF   THE    CHRISTIAN— ITS 
TESTING. 


81 


"  Gold  is  not  hurt  by  the  fire.  The  stone  is  not  marred  by  the 
sculptor's  hewing.  'While  the  marble  wastes  the  image  grows.' 
At  the  last  that  which  will  be  most  beautiful  in  us  will  not  be 
what  we  have  saved  from  the  hammer,  but  the  marks  which 
will  tell  of  the  deepest  cuttings  of  the  chisel."— J.  R.  Miller,  "The 
Making  of  Character." 

"Let  thy  gold  be  cast  in  the  furnace, 

Thy  red  gold,  precious  and  bright, 
Do  not  fear  the  hungry  fire, 

With  its  caverns  of  burning  light: 
And  thy  gold  shall  return  more  precious. 

Free  from  every  spot  and  stain; 
For  gold  must  be  tried  by  fire, 

As  a  heart  must  be  tried  by  pain ! 

In  the  cruel  fire  of  Sorrow 

Cast  thy  heart,  do  not  faint  or  wail; 
Let  thy  hand  be  firm  and  steady, 

Do  not  let  thy  spirit  quail: 
But  wait  till  the  trial  is  over, 

And  take  thy  heart  again; 
For  as  gold  is  tried  by  fire, 

So  a  heart  must  be  tried  by  pain ! 

I  shall  know  by  the  gleam  and  glitter 

Of  the  golden  chain  you  wear, 
By  your  heart's  calm  strength  in  loving, 

Of  the  fire  they  have  had  to  bear. 
Beat  on,  true  heart,  forever; 

Shine  bright,  strong  golden  chain; 
And  bless  the  cleansing  fire. 

And  the  furnace  of  living  pain  1" 

—A.  A.  Procter, 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   wen   oe   THE   CHRISTIAN — ITS   TESTING. 

"And  bring  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  the 
evil."    Matt.  vi.  13. 

"Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest 
he  fall.  There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  man 
can  bear:  but  God  is  faithful,  Who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be 
tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but  will  with  the  temptation  make 
also  the  way  of  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  endure  it."  I. 
Cor.  X.  12-13. 

"  Count  it  all  joy,  my  brethren,  when  ye  fall  into  manifold 
temptations;  knowing  that  the  proving  of  your  faith  worketh 
patience.  And  let  patience  have  its  perfect  work,  that  ye  may 
be  perfect  and  entire,  lacking  in  nothing."    James  i.  2-4. 

In  approaching  the  subject  of  tHe  testing  of  the  Chris- 
tian life  I  want  to  speak  of  the  purpose  and  process  there- 
of. 

The  present  life  of  the  Christian  is  preparatory  and 
progressive.  Nothing  is  more  evident  in  a  study  of  the 
New  Testament  than  that  the  people  of  God  are  finally 
a  heavenly  people.  I  do  not  mean  by  that  they  are  in- 
different to  the  present  world,  or  that  they  are  to  live 
the  life  of  a  physical  separation  from  it,  or  shut  them- 
selves within  walls  to  escape  it.  But  the  fact  remains 
that  the  Christian  life,  as  to  its  ultimate  purpose,  can 
never  be  perfected  in  this  life.  This  is  our  school  time. 
iWe  are  in  training.     We  are  growing  and  developing 

83 


84  THB   LIFB   OF   THB   CHRISTIAN 

towards  maturity  of  life,  in  order  tp  the  perfect  service 
of  the  ages  to  come.  Our  true  service  will  commence 
when  this  probationary  life  is  past,  and  the  life  of  heaven 
has  begun.  Paul,  in  his  letter  to  the  Ephesians,  reveals 
the  vocation  of  the  Church  to  be  heavenly  in  its  nature. 
In  the  ages  to  come  in  union  with  Christ,  she  will  wit- 
ness to  principalities  and  powers  in  the  heavenlies  of 
God's  wondrous  grace  and  wisdom. 

Of  course,  while  all  this  is  true,  the  Church  has  a 
present  service  and  responsibility,  and  it  must  never  be 
forgotten  that  we  are  saved  to  serve  even  here  and  now. 
The  communication  of  the  life  of  Christ  to  the  soul  is  not 
merely  for  personal  salvation,  but  in  order  that  through 
the  saved,  Christ  may  carry  forward  His  great  work  of 
saving  others.  Our  present  work  is  that  of  showing  forth 
the  excellencies  of  God,  and  so  revealing  to  men  the  per- 
fection of  His  government.  It  is  only  as  our  hearts  are 
set  upon  the  heavenly  calling,  that  we  shall  be  able  to  ful- 
fill the  earthly  calling.  It  is  only  as  the  radiant  vision  of 
the  vocation  to  come  is  before  us,  that  we  shall  be  able 
to  fulfill  the  vocation  of  the  shadows  and  the  mists  and 
the  mysteries  of  the  little  while.  Each  one  of  us  is  called 
to  some  specific  work.  Not  all  are  called  to  the  work  of 
preaching  or  teaching,  but  all  are  responsible  concerning 
this  ministry  of  revelation.  These  two  facts  concerning 
service  must  be  remembered.  The  Church  is  created  su- 
premely for  service  hereafter.  There  is  also  a  service  here, 
partial,  incomplete,  and  transitory,  yet  important  and 
glorious.  All  the  present,  however,  is  but  preparatory 
to  the  future,  and  temptation  means  the  testing  of  those 
who  are  being  prepared  for  service,  as  to  their  fitness  for 
their  work.    All  through  the  process  of  present  service 


ITS  TESTING  85 

temptation  will  be  the  portion  of  the  Christian.  All 
through  these  days  of  discipline  and  preparation  for  the 
final  service,  testing  will  be  necessary. 

The  word  temptation  is  often  misunderstood,  being 
used  as  if  it  meant  only  seduction  toward  evil,  whereas 
that  is  a  process  of  temptation.  Temptation  is  not  allure- 
ment toward  evil  necessarily.  Allurement  toward  evil  is 
a  method  of  temptation.  ''Count  it  all  joy,  my  brethren, 
when  ye  fall  into  manifold  temptations,"  and  no  inspired 
apostle  would  charge  us  to  count  it  all  joy  when  we  find 
ourselves  in  the  presence  of  evil,  and  feel  the  pull  of  its 
allurement.  But  the  purpose  of  the  testing  or  tempta- 
tion was  in  the  mind  of  James  when  he  wrote  those 
words.  The  purpose  of  testing  or  temptation  was  also 
in  the  mind  of  Paul  when  he  wrote  to  the  Corinthian 
Christians,  "There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such 
as  man  can  bear :  but  God  is  faithful.  Who  will  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but  will  with 
the  temptation  make  also  the  way  of  escape."  In  the 
New  Testament  where  this  word  is  made  use  of,  while  it 
is  used  to  describe  the  alluring  of  the  soul  by  evil,  it 
nevertheless  always  indicates  the  fact  that  by  such  al- 
lurement the  work  of  testing  is  going  forward.  This 
testing  may  come  in  other  ways,  and  that  is  why  I  have 
chosen  to  speak  of  testing,  rather  than  temptation.  I 
want  to  make  two  propositions  and  consider  them  each  a 
little.  The  first  is  that  testing  to  the  Christian  is  always 
in  the  line  of,  and  with  a  view  to  preparation  for  service. 
The  second  proposition  is  that  the  whole  process  of  test- 
ing is  under  the  direct  supervision  of  God. 

Testing  is  always  necessary  as  part  of  preparation  for 
service.     It  reveals  the  strength  or  weakness  of  the  life 


86  THE  IIPB  OP  THB  CHRISTIAN 

at  any  given  moment,  and  thus  creates  confidence,  or*  calls 
for  increasing  carefulness  and  reinforcement  at  some 
point  of  weakness.  If  in  the  process  of  testing  I  am  vic- 
torious, then  my  strength  is  thereby  revealed,  and  I  am 
prepared  for  some  new  lesson,  or  some  new  service.  If 
under  testing  I  fail,  then  my  weakness  is  revealed,  and 
I  am  driven  back  to  Christ  in  order  that  there  may  be 
the  strengthening  of  that  in  me  which  is  weak,  and  the 
putting  away  of  that  which  caused  the  failure.  While  it 
is  true  that  we  do  fall  under  temptation,  it  is  also 
true  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  any  such  falling.  If 
such  a  statement  is  startling,  let  us  remember  the  words 
"God  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are 
able."  It  will  be  objected  that  being  tempted  we  fall  be- 
fore we  are  aware  of  it,  but  that  there  is  no  necessity 
for  any  such  defeat  is  evident  from  the  words  "Who  will 
not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but 
will  with  the  temptation  make  also  the  way  of  escape." 

If  under  temptation  I  fall,  what  has  temptation  done 
for  me?  It  has  revealed  a  point  of  weakness,  and  such 
revelation  should  drive  me  back  again  to  Christ,  in  order 
that  alone  with  Him  I  may  first  make  confession  of  my 
sin  and  failure,  and  then  in  order  that  I  may  anew  take 
hold  upon  His  strength  at  the  point  of  weakness,  and 
be  no  more  overcome.  So  that  in  the  life  of  the  Chris- 
tian, testing  has  always  a  blessing  associated  with  it. 
"Count  it  all  joy,  my  brethren,  when  ye  fall  into  mani- 
fold temptations." 

Yet  Christ  commanded  us  "Pray,  that  ye  enter  not 
into  temptation,"  and  thereby  defined  the  true  attitude  of 
the  soul  toward  testing.  Of  this,  however,  more  pres- 
ently.   To  return  to  the  subject  of  the  value  of  testing. 


ITS  TESTING  87 

"Count  it  all  joy,  my  brethren,  when  ye  fall  into  mani- 
fold temptations,"  and  why?  Because  "the  proving  or 
testing  of  your  faith  worketh  steadfastness."  Testing 
ever  issues  in  blessing  to  such  as  abide  loyal  to  Christ. 
If  victorious  over  it,  it  has  revealed  strength  which  proves 
readiness  for  fuller  service  and  larger  life.  If  defeated, 
it  has  revealed  a  weakness,  and  if  the  revelation  of  that 
weakness  does  but  drive  us  to  Christ,  in  order  that  we 
may  take  hold  anew  upon  His  strength,  then  even  the 
testing  has  proved  a  blessing. 

We  must  be  careful  to  differentiate  between  tempta- 
tion and  sin.  Temptation  is  in  itself  a  veritable  means 
of  grace  if  only  it  drive  us  to  Christ.  In  that  way  in 
the  largest  and  fullest  sense,  we  may  rise  on  our  dead 
selves  to  higher  things.  A  bridge  is  tested  as  to  its  power 
to  carry  weight,  because  the  work  of  the  bridge  will  be 
that  of  carrying  weight.  Metal  is  tested  as  to  its  re- 
sistance, because  the  work  of  the  metal  will  be  to  resist. 
That  is  ever  the  true  law  of  testing.  It  always  tries  the 
quality  of  something  which  is  necessary  to  the  fulfill- 
ment of  purpose.  There  are  many  methods  but  the  pur- 
pose is  always  the  same.  Just  as  a  bridge  is  tested  as  to 
its  ability  to  bear  weight,  because  its  work  is  to  bear 
weight;  and  just  as  metal  is  tested  as  to  its  power  of 
resistance,  because  its  work  is  to  be  that  of  resistance; 
so  the  Christian  is  tested  as  to  his  capacity  for  that  par- 
ticular form  of  service  to  which  he  is  called. 

Let  us  see  how  this  applies  to  the  Christian  Church. 
Take  the  whole  outlook  upon  the  Christian  Church,  not 
in  its  final  vocation  but  in  its  present  work  and  service. 
The  apostle  said,  "Ye  are  .  .  .  that  ye  may  show 
forth  the  excellencies  of  Him  Who  called  you  out  of 


88  THE   LIFE   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

darkness  into  His  marvellous  light."  Never  was  any- 
thing more  wonderful  said  of  the  Church  than  that.  She 
is  God's  medium  for  the  manifestation  of  Himself  to  the 
world,  the  instrument  through  which  the  illumination  of 
His  own  nature  and  character  shall  shine  upon  the  ways 
of  men,  the  vehicle  in  which  the  vision  of  God  shall  be 
conveyed  to  men.  The  testings  of  the  Church  therefore 
from  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  are  directed 
toward  her  essential  function  of  the  manifestation  of 
God,  her  fitness  for  the  realization  and  revelation  of 
His  excellencies.  It  is  in  the  realm  of  her  fitness  for 
the  fulfillment  of  that  function,  that  testing  ever  comes, 
not  to  hinder  her,  but  to  prove  capacity.  We  saw  in  the 
previous  study  that  the  relation  of  the  Christian  to  God 
as  revealed  in  Jesus  Christ  was  characterized  by  confi- 
dence, by  communion,  and  by  cooperation.  The  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  will  manifest  the  excellencies  of  God  in 
proportion  as  she  is  living  the  life  of  confidence  in  God, 
the  life  of  communion  with  God,  and  the  life  of  coopera- 
tion with  God.  We  are  to  express  the  truth  concerning 
God  to  men,  to  the  angels,  to  the  ages.  This  we  are  able 
to  do  in  proportion  as  our  confidence  in  God  is  complete, 
our  communion  is  constant,  and  our  cooperation  is  con- 
secrated. Within  the  compass  of  these  facts,  therefore, 
of  confidence,  of  communion,  and  cooperation,  all  our 
testing  will  come.  Such  testing  of  the  Church's  confi- 
dence has  come  in  times  of  persecution,  in  baptisms  of 
blood.  In  periods  of  fiery  persecution  the  Church  was 
being  tested  as  to  her  confidence  in  God,  and  if  such 
testing  sometimes  revealed  lack  of  confidence  and  she  fell 
back,  yet  more  often  it  manifested  the  strength  of  confi- 
dence, and  made  her  more  strong,  so  that  the  testimony 


ITS  TESTING  89 

of  the  Church  to  the  world  was  stronger  and  purer  in 
those  days  than  in  the  times  when  testing  was  lacking. 

The  testing  of  the  Church  will  come  along  the  line  of 
her  communion  with  God.  That  is  one  of  the  peculiar 
perils  of  the  present  age.  The  devil  of  the  medieval  ages 
has  passed  away  as  to  his  methods  of  manifestation,  but 
he  is  still  with  us.  One  of  his  methods  today  is  starting 
so  many  organizations,  that  the  church  members  have 
no  time  for  communion  with  God.  The  Church  is  so 
busy  that  one  cannot  move  without  hearing  the  clink 
and  the  friction  of  her  wheels.  Whenever  the  Church 
becomes  so  fussy  about  her  work,  that  she  has  no  time 
for  communion  with  God,  the  world  looks  on,  and  smiles 
at  her,  and  helps  her  in  her  bazaars,  and  stays  away  from 
her  prayer-meetings.  Oh  that  God  would  turn  us  back  to 
communion  with  Himself !  Oh  that  we  might  turn  back  in 
these  days  to  the  quiet  meditation  of  those  past  days! 
Oh  that  we  might  make  time  to  sit  at  His  feet!  The 
trouble  is  that  we  have  yielded  to  the  spirit  of  the  age 
so  largely.  Wherever  you  find  a  church  or  a  people  who 
will  make  time  for  communion,  notwithstanding  the  rush 
of  life,  there  is  the  church  that  is  strong.  I  care  nothing 
for  numbers  or  finances.  It  is  only  in  communion  that 
there  can  be  the  fulfillment  of  service. 

So  also  the  testing  of  the  Church  will  come  along  the 
line  of  her  cooperation  with  God.  In  proportion  as  the 
Church  is  in  fellowship  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  count- 
ing that  her  chief  business,  cooperating  with  God  in  the 
midst  of  every  passing  age,  in  that  proportion  she  is  fulfill- 
ing the  purpose  of  God.  But  when  the  Church  is  trying  to 
catch  the  spirit  of  the  age,  and  accommodate  herself  to 
the  movements  of  the  age,  and  express  all  the  great  doc- 


90  THB  LIFB   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

trines  in  the  terms  of  the  time,  she  is  missing  the  mark, 
she  will  not  exert  her  influence. 

This  is  the  broader  outlook.  To  come  now  from  the 
general  to  the  particular,  and  to  speak  of  individual  test- 
ing— and  this  still  in  the  realm  of  service — let  us  suppose 
that  God  is  calling  to  some  place  of  conspicuous  service, 
some  position  seen  and  beheld  of  men,  and  talked  of  by 
the  world.  In  that  place  of  conspicuous  service  the  real 
responsibility  of  the  saint  is  that  of  revealing  God. 
Whether  the  call  be  to  the  work  of  the  prophet,  evangelist, 
teacher,  or  to  testimony  in  the  circle  of  society  in  which 
we  move,  or  in  our  business  relationships,  our  true  work 
is  ever  that  of  Divine  revelation.  For  any  such  service 
there  are  two  qualities  necessary,  courage  and  humility; 
daring  to  come  to  the  front  if  God  calls,  accompanied 
by  that  humility  of  spirit  which  ever  recognizes  the  Lord- 
ship of  Christ  over  all  His  servants,  and  therefore  is 
free  from  boasting. 

It  is  in  the  matter  of  these  essential  qualities  that  test- 
ing will  come  to  the  man  or  woman  called  to  the  place 
of  conspicuous  service.  It  matters  nothing  as  to  the  argu- 
ment, who  the  agent  of  temptation  may  be,  or  along  what 
particular  avenue  the  temptation  may  come,  the  qualities 
tested  will  be  the  same.  The  greatest  perils  of  such  re- 
sponsibility are  cowardice  and  pride.  Moses  was  tested 
in  the  matter  of  courage  when  he  asked  God  "Who  am 
I;"  and  for  the  moment  was  in  danger  of  allowing  his 
own  incompetence  to  eclipse  the  vision  of  the  ability  of 
God.  Many  have  failed  because  they  have  not  dared  to 
enter  on  some  path  of  service  clearly  marked  out  for 
them.    There  is  a  false  modesty  which  is  cowardice. 

Take  a  case  now  exactly  opposite.  Qod  may  have  called 


\  ITS  TESTING  91 

me  into  some  place  of  hidden  service.  The  quahties  neces- 
sary for  success  are  fideHty  and  contentment /fidelity,  the 
determination  to  obey,  because  God  has  called,  even 
though  no  one  should  criticize  or  commend,  no  one  help 
or  hinder.  The  temptation  often  comes  in  the  form  of 
restlessness,  and  the  desire  to  do  some  greater  thing. 
It  will  suggest  the  meanness  of  the  task  to  be  done,  pro- 
posing a  change  in  the  life.  This  will  tend  to  break  down 
fidelity,  and  make  me  discontented  in  the  place  where 
God  has  put  me.  As  capacity  for  service  is  the  highest 
fact  in  Christian  life,  testing  is  all-important,  as  it  re- 
veals the  weakness  or  manifests  the  strength  of  the  in- 
strument. 

Now  let  us  approach  the  second  proposition,  that  the 
process  of  testing  is  under  the  direction  and  supervision 
of  God.  The  book  of  Job  is  the  supreme  book  of  the 
Bible  illustrating  this  truth.  Satan  could  not  touch  a 
single  hair  upon  the  back  of  a  single  camel  that  belonged 
to  Job  until  he  had  been  and  asked  leave  of  God.  We 
have  some  strange  ideas  about  the  devil.  We  seem  to 
think  he  is  running  loose,  and  doing  all  he  wants  to  do. 
If  you  are  not  submitted  to  God  then  it  is  no  use  resisting 
the  devil,  for  he  is  hoodwinking  you,  and  leading  you 
where  he  wants  you  to  go.  But  if  you  are  submitted  to 
God,  then  God  holds  the  reins  of  the  chargers  upon  which 
the  devil  rides,  and  He  "will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tested 
beyond  that  which  you  are  able."  He  will  not  allow  any 
pressure  to  be  brought  against  us  greater  than  we  have 
strength  at  the  moment  to  resist,  and  with  the  tempta- 
tion He  will  open  the  door  of  escape.  He  will  not  suffer 
us  to  be  tested  beyond  the  breaking  point.  This  is  a  great 
announcement.    The  agents  of  temptation,  Satan,  the  cir- 


92  THB  IIFB   OP  THE  CHRISTIAN 

cumstances  of  life,  and  the  frailty  of  the  flesh,  are  all 
known  and  watched,  and  held  in  check  by  God  Himself. 
The  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  these  are  the  agents 
of  temptation,  and  none  of  them  will  be  permitted  to 
bring  to  bear  upon  the  life  of  the  believer  greater  pres- 
sure than  that  life  is  able  to  bear.  He  will  permit  them 
to  try  us  up  to  a  certain  point,  and  we  never  need  break 
down,  for  the  door  of  escape  is  always  provided  when 
the  limit  of  our  ability  is  reached;  and  we  may  pass  out 
from  the  process  triumphant. 

"Simon,  Simon,  behold,  Satan  asked  to  have  you  that 
he  might  sift  you  as  wheat."  Notice  carefully  that  he 
was  compelled  to  ask.  He  could  not  put  these  men 
through  the  process  of  sifting  save  under  Divine  permis- 
sion. And  yet  even  more  carefully  notice  what  follows, 
*'But  I  made  supplication  for  thee,"  that  is  the  provision 
of  the  door  of  escape.  And  that  supplication  of  love  pre- 
vailed. The  faith  of  these  men  never  failed,  nor  did  their 
love,  even  though  their  courage  did.  Faith  is  confidence 
in  a  person,  and  if  in  these  men,  that  failed  in  any  re- 
spect, it  was  only  their  confidence  in  His  ability  to  do 
what  they  thought  He  was  about  to  do.  Their  faith 
never  failed  in  Christ  Himself.  The  two  men  walking  to 
Emmaus,  speaking  of  Him  called  Him  "a  Prophet  mighty 
in  deed  and  word."  Their  hope  failed,  and  their  confi- 
dence in  His  success,  but  not  their  faith  in  Himself.  And 
men  are  not  saved  by  believing  anything  about  Jesus, 
but  by  belief  in  Him. 

We  cannot  be  tested  without  the  knowledge  and  watch- 
fulness of  God.  Just  as  the  refiner  of  silver  sits  in  the 
presence  of  the  furnace,  and  with  skilled  eye  watches 
until  the  fire  has  done  its  work,  and  then  withdraws  the 


ITS  TESTING  93 

precious  metal;  so  God,  in  infinite  care  for  His  own, 
governs  the  heat,  and  the  measure  of  the  fire;  and  will 
not  suffer  any  to  be  tempted  above  that  they  are  able  to 
bear. 

This  is  equally  true  with  regard  to  circumstances,  or 
the  world.  How  often  we  affirm  that  circumstances  are 
too  strong  for  us.  That  is  never  true.  God  is  always 
mightier  than  the  circumstances,  and  all  the  world  forces 
which  pull  us  downward,  are  also  under  His  control. 
If  we  live  in  right  relationship  to  Him,  then  we  are 
mightier  than  all  the  forces  of  the  world.  "Greater  is  He 
that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world."  John  is  speak- 
ing there  of  antichrist,  not  as  a  person  manifested,  but  as 
a  spirit  and  influence.  True  it  is  that  the  spirit  of  the 
world  is  mighty,  but  that  in  us  which  pulls  as  against  the 
world  is  mightier  still.  Consequently  while  we  are  al- 
lowed to  feel  the  attractiveness  of  the  world  for  the  test- 
ing of  our  life,  God  knows,  watches,  and  holds  in  check 
these  subtle  forces ;  but  by  the  Spirit  He  in  us  is  mightier 
than  the  world,  as  He  is  stronger  than  Satan. 

So  also  with  the  flesh.  In  the  natural  life  there  are 
appetites  which  in  themselves  are  perfectly  right,  but 
which  tend  to  lead  astray  by  seducing  us  from  the  realm 
of  law  for  their  satisfaction.  The  lust  of  them,  the  desire 
of  the  flesh,  pulls  us  from  the  path  of  rectitude  and  loy- 
alty. This  also  He  knows,  and  limits;  and  the  lust  of 
the  Spirit  is  mightier  than  the  lust  of  the  flesh. 

Yet  there  must  be  this  testing  of  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
in  order  that  we  may  know  the  might  of  the  lust  of  the 
Spirit.  There  must  be  the  testing  of  the  pride  of  the 
world,  in  order  that  we  may  know  the  might  of  His 
power.    There  must  be  the  testing  of  the  adversary  in 


94  THB   LIPB   OP   THE  CHRISTIAN 

order  that  we  may  know  the  strength  of  Him  Who  is 
mightier  than  the  foe.  Life  Hved  in  Him  is  tested  by 
all  these  forces,  but  is  victorious  over  them. 

Not  only  the  agents  of  temptation,  but  the  avenues  also, 
natural  desire,  spiritual  aspiration,  and  vocational  ambi- 
tion are  all  under  His  control.  The  only  avenues  along 
which  the  adversary  can  reach  a  human  soul  are  these. 
He  exhausted  his  methods  in  the  wilderness.  He  ap- 
proached Jesus  first  along  the  line  of  natural  desire  as 
to  His  hunger;  and  then  through  spiritual  aspiration  as 
to  His  trust  in  God ;  and  finally  as  to  His  vocational  am- 
bition, in  the  offer  of  the  kingdoms.  The  final  thing 
in  every  life  is  what  it  has  to  do.  We  are,  in  order  that 
we  may  do. 

First  then,  the  natural  desires  of  the  physical,  which 
is  the  lower  part  of  nature,  will  be  tempted.  Secondly, 
the  spiritual  aspirations.  Lastly,  the  vocational  ambi- 
tions. The  devil  has  nothing  beyond  these.  He  has  a 
thousand  baits,  but  only  three  avenues  of  approach.  These 
are  all  under  the  control  of  God.  Though  all  must  feel 
the  force  of  testing,  He  knows  the  strength,  and  is  con- 
scious of  the  weakest  moment,  and  accordingly  He  limits 
the  forces  of  temptation,  and  opens  the  door  of  escape. 
Satan  can  never  sift  without  permission  granted.  The 
world  or  circumstances  may  seem  too  powerful,  but  He 
will  act  against  them  in  our  weakest  moment.  The  flesh 
may  seem  to  be  wholly  on  the  side  of  the  foe,  yet  He  is 
able  to  quicken  even  the  mortal  body. 

The  life  in  us  now  being  tested  is  the  Christ  life.  We 
are  Christians  because  that  life  is  in  us.  Of  that  life 
Christ  is  Himself  the  sustenance.  The  outward  expres- 
sion of  the  life  is  Christ,  just  as  its  consciousness  is  His, 


ITS  TESTING  95 

So  the  testing  of  the  Christian  life  is  the  testing  of  the 
Christ  Hfe  in  us.  That  Hfe  has  already  had  its  perfect 
victory.  Therefore  if  we  meet  the  testing  of  the  enemy 
in  its  strength,  we  meet  it  in  the  power  of  a  victory  al- 
ready gained.  Testing  in  that  energy  always  issues  in 
triumph. 

Many  fall  under  testing.  This  is  always  because  the 
laws  of  the  Christ  life  are  not  obeyed.  This  may  be 
proved  by  going  back  honestly  to  the  point  of  failure. 
Let  any  such  defeat  be  remembered,  and  the  question 
asked  concerning  it.  Need  I  have  fallen  there  if  I  had 
absolutely  depended  upon  Jesus  Christ?  There  is  not 
one  of  us  who  dare  say  Yes.  We  all  fall,  but  always 
because  we  did  not  look  for  the  door  of  escape,  or  else 
did  not  meet  the  testing  in  His  strength  alone.  Failure 
often  comes  because  we  do  not  remember  the  spirit  and 
meaning  of  that  petition  which  our  Lord  taught  us  to 
offer,  'Xead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from 
the  evil."  The  principal  matter  is  that  we  should  be  de- 
livered from  evil.  If  the  final  purity  cannot  be  attained 
save  by  the  way  of  testing,  then  we  must  consent  to  pass 
through  it.  Testing  should  always  be  approached  with 
that  cautiousness  of  spirit  which  results  from  the  con- 
sciousness of  its  peril,  and  yet  with  confidence  that  He 
will  finally  deliver  us  from  evil. 

In  brief,  as  Christ  has  given  us  life,  and  is  able  to 
sustain  that  life,  so  also  is  He  able  to  make  us  victorious, 
"more  than  conquerors"  over  all  the  forces  that  are 
against  us;  and  when  we  depend  on  Him  in  testing, 
whether  it  be  through  Satan,  the  world,  or  the  flesh,  then 
testing  itself  becomes  a  means  of  grace,  a  fiery  process 
through  which  the  dross  is  burned,  and  the  gold  made  to 
shine  perfectly. 


THE    LIFE   OF   THE    CHRISTIAN— ITS 
VALUE. 


"From  the  brightness  of  the  glory, 

Go  ye  forth,"  He  said ; 
"Heal  the  sick  and  cleanse  the  lepers, 

Raise  the  dead. 
Freely  give  I  thee  the  treasure, 

Freely  give  the  same; 
Take  no  store  of  gold  or  silver — 
Take  My  Name. 


"Thou  shalt  tell  Me  in  the  glory 

All  that  thou  hast  done, 
Settmg  forth  alone;  returning 

Not  alone. 
Thou  shalt  bring  the  ransomed  with  thee. 

They  with  songs  shall  come 
As  the  golden  sheaves  of  harvest, 

Gathered  home." 

4:        *         *        *        *        * 
"Thus  with  instruments  of  music 
Do  His  servants  stand 
Harp  and  lute  the  King  has  fashioned 

With  His  hand. 
And  'the  music  of  Jehovah' 
Sounds  from  every  chord ; 
He  who  makes^  that  glorious  music 
Is  the  Lord. 

"He  by  them  tells  forth  God's  praises 
To  the  ears  of  men, 
And  to  God  His  praise  ascendeth 

Yet  again. 
He  alone,  the  Mighty  Preacher, 

Gathering  in  His  own. 
And  the  praise  to  God  returning. 
His  alone." 

— T.  P. 
"Hymns  of  Ter  Steegen,  Suso  and  Others.' 


CHAPTER  VI. 

the;  LI^E  01^  THE  CHRISTIAN — ITS  VALUE. 

"And  He  said  unto  them,  It  is  not  for  you  to  know  times  or 
seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  set  within  His  own  authority. 
But  ye  shall  receive  power,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon 
you :  and  ye  shall  be  My  witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judaea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth." 
Acts  i.  7-8. 

"  So  then,  my  beloved,  even  as  ye  have  always  obeyed,  not  as 
in  my  presence  only,  but  now  much  more  in  my  absence,  work 
out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling;  for  it  is  God 
Who  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  work,  for  His  good 
pleasure.  Do  all  things  without  murmurings  and  questionings; 
that  ye  may  become  blameless  and  harmless,  children  of  God 
without  blemish  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  genera- 
tion, among  whom  ye  are  seen  as  lights  in  the  world,  holding 
forth  the  word  of  life."    Phil.  ii.  12-16. 

Of  all  the  facts  concerning  the  Divine  method  in  crea- 
tion, none  is  more  perpetually  evident,  or  needs  more 
constant  enforcement  than  that  of  purpose  lying  within 
potentiality.  In  other  words,  no  creation  of  God  fulfills 
its  highest  exercise  of  being,  save  in  relation  to  existences 
other  than  its  own.  No  creation  of  God  is  self-centred 
and  self-sufficient.  Of  God  alone  can  these  conditions  of 
being  be  affirmed.  Everything  which  He  has  created, 
from  a  flower  to  an  archangel  is  created  for  a  purpose. 
Each  flower  fulfills  a  ministry  in  the  very  fact  of  its 

99 


100  -THB  LIFE   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

blossoming,  and  every  angel  is  a  flame  of  fire  for  the 
purpose  of  ministry.  When  man  perfectly  understands 
creation  he  will  clearly  see  that  the  most  insignificant  and 
apparently  useless  forms  of  life  have  some  part  to  play 
in  the  great  economy  of  God.  The  Divine  ideal  of  hu- 
manity is  that  of  its  solidarity,  and  although  through 
sin,  factions  and  strifes  have  destroyed  the  ideal,  yet  the 
proportion  in  the  passing  of  the  centuries  in  which  man 
has  secured  his  own  well-being  is  the  proportion  in  which 
he  has  learned  the  relationship  of  each  to  all,  and  the 
contribution  of  all  to  each.  Power  for  the  fulfillment  of 
the  purpose  of  the  thing  created,  always  lies  within  it. 
It  is  invariably  possible  for  every  work  of  God  to  fulfill 
the  purpose  of  its  being.  These  principles  obtain  in  the 
spiritual  realm  as  certainly  as  in  every  other.  Christ 
did  not  come  to  destroy  or  set  aside  any  principle  of 
Divine  creation,  or  of  government,  but  to  recognize  and 
realize.  Every  Christian,  therefore,  has  a  value  in  his 
day  and  generation,  and  the  proportion  in  which  the  life 
of  Christ  is  reproduced  in  the  individual  is  the  propor- 
tion in  which  that  value  is  realized.  As  we  have  seen, 
the  Christian  is  one  sharing  the  life  of  Christ.  That  Hfe 
being  diligently  sustained,  and  clearly  expressed,  it  will 
fulfill  definite  functions. 

In  the  commencement  of  the  Colossian  epistle  which 
deals  principally  with  the  glory  of  Christ,  the  apostle  re- 
ferring to  creation  declares  that  ''He  is  the  Firstborn  of 
all  creation,"  and  dealing  with  His  relation  to  the  Church, 
he  speaks  of  Him  as  the  "Firstborn  from  the  dead."  Of 
the  wonderful  realm  which  we  call  Nature,  Christ  is  the 
Firstborn.  He  is  the  Origin  of  all  the  varied  forms  of 
beauty  with  which  we  are  familiar  in  Nature.    It  is  in 


ITS  VALUB  101 

Him  that  they  consist,  or  hold  together.  It  is  moreover, 
for  Him  they  were  and  have  been  created.  Thus  the 
great  principle  of  purpose  within  potentiality  manifest  in 
Nature,  is  directly  related  to  the  originating  and  sustain- 
ing Christ. 

In  the  realm  of  the  new  creation  He  is  Firstborn  from 
the  dead.  So  that  here  also  the  truth  of  purpose  and  of 
power  is  immediately  related  to  Him.  The  new  life  of 
the  Christian  is  life  which  He  won  out  of  death.  As 
in  every  flower  related  to  Him  there  is  a  purpose  ful- 
filled in  its  blossoming,  so  in  every  new-born  life  related 
to  Him  as  life  out  of  death,  there  is  a  purpose  to  be 
fulfilled,  and  power  equal  to  its  fulfillment.  We  are  not 
simply  saved  that  we  may  be  saved.  We  are  saved  rather 
that  we  may  serve.  Thus  in  every  soul  Christ-indwelt 
and  governed,  there  is  that  which  is  of  value  to  God 
Himself. 

In  the  Ephesian  epistle,  which  is  the  complement  to 
that  to  the  Colossian,  we  find  the  remarkable  declaration 
that  God  has  an  inheritance  in  His  people,  that  is,  that 
God  gains  something  in  His  people.  A  study  of  the 
whole  context  will  show  that  He  gains  nothing  of  glory, 
nothing  of  enrichment,  but  a  medium  through  which  He 
is  able  to  manifest  His  glory,  and  show  forth  the  riches 
of  His  grace.  While  the  great  fulfillment  of  its  purpose 
will  never  be  realized  until  the  Church  is  perfected  in  its 
union  with  Christ  in  the  ages  to  come,  it  is  nevertheless 
true  that  in  measure  the  principle  is  fulfilled  even  here 
and  now  in  every  Christian  soul.  The  very  fact  of  living 
the  Christ  life  does  in  itself  fulfill  a  purpose,  and  in  all 
such  living  there  is  value  in  the  economy  of  God.  In  the 
truest  and  deepest  sense  of  the  word.  Christian  service 


102  THB  IIFB   OP  THB  CHRISTIAN 

is  not  something  externally  added  to  Christian  life.  It 
is  a  service  rendered  in  the  very  act  of  life.  Each  Chris- 
tian by  being  a  Christian  in  all  the  full  sense  of  the  word, 
is  exerting  the  power  of  God  for  the  accomplishment  of 
His  purpose.  It  is  the  value  of  such  living  that  we  are 
now  to  consider.  Given  the  life  whose  nature  is  Christ, 
whose  sustenance  is  Christ,  whose  expression  is  Christ, 
whose  consciousness  is  Christ,  and  whose  testing  is  the 
testing  of  the  Christ  life,  such  life  has  a  definite  present 
value  in  the  world.  The  value  is  threefold,  and  may 
broadly  be  described  as  that  of  testimony,  of  activity, 
and  of  vindication. 

The  life  of  the  Christian  is  a  perpetual  testimony  in  the 
world  to  certain  great  truths.  It  is  moreover  an  unceas- 
ing cooperation  with  God ;  and  finally  it  is,  through  such 
testimony  and  such  cooperation,  a  vindication  of  God  in 
the  midst  of  godlessness. 

The  Christian  life  is  first  a  testimony  to  the  reality  of 
spiritual  things.  It  will  at  once  be  seen  how  close  a 
connection  there  is  between  this  thought  and  that  of  the 
consciousness  of  the  Christian  dealt  with  previously.  That 
consciousness  is  of  God,  and  of  eternity,  the  overwhelm- 
ing certainty  in  the  life  of  the  reality  of  the  things  unseen, 
eternal,  and  spiritual.  A  Christian  soul,  sharing  Christ's 
consciousness,  believes  far  more  in  God  Who  is  unseen, 
than  in  anything  which  can  be  seen ;  is  far  more  certain  of 
the  infinite  unseen,  than  of  .the  finite  seen.  A  Christian  is 
more  sure  of  God  than  of  men,  of  eternity  than  of  time,  of 
the  spiritual  than  of  the  material.  All  this  is,  of  course, 
diametrically  opposed  to  the  consciousness  of  a  man  of 
the  world.  He  is  not  sure  of  God,  is  indeed,  an  agnostic, 
yet  imagines  himself  to  be  perfectly  sure  of  man.    He  is 


ITS  VAIUB  103 

not  sure  of  eternity,  but  feels  quite  sure  of  time.  He  is 
by  no  means  convinced  of  the  reality  of  spiritual  things, 
but  is  sure  of  things  material.  This  contrast  at  once  re- 
veals the  fact  of  testimony.  The  life  of  the  Christian 
is  a  witness  amid  material  things  to  the  reality  of  the 
spiritual.  I  do  not  here  merely  mean  that  the  Chris- 
tian in  speech  v^ill  refer  to  God,  to  heaven,  to  spiritual 
things.  All  that  he  will  assuredly  do,  but  testimony  in 
speech  is  of  no  avail  save  as  the  life  of  the  one  who 
speaks  is  being  lived  in  actual  relation  to  the  things  of 
which  he  speaks.  It  is  this  life  of  conscious  relationship 
which  is  the  most  powerful  testimony  to  the  reality  of 
these  things.  The  essential  greatness  of  the  Puritans 
was  that  of  their  recognition  of  the  spiritual  realm,  and 
of  the  eternities.  They  had  their  roughnesses,  which  after 
all,  were  but  the  excrescences  of  greatness,  but  they  were 
men  whose  lives  were  centred  in  God,  and  circumfer- 
enced  by  the  spiritual.  Yet  they  were  no  dreamers,  hav- 
ing lost  their  consciousness  of,  and  sympathy  with,  the 
actualities  of  the  passing  day.  As  we  look  back  on  them 
through  the  centuries  they  are  seen  as  giants,  whose  feet 
were  firmly  planted  upon  the  earth,  but  whose  heads  ever 
seemed  lifted  into  the  heavenly  spaces.  They  acted,  they 
suffered,  they  even  fought,  but  behind  everything,  as 
impulse  of  all,  was  a  consciousness  of  God,  and  the  value 
of  spiritual  things.  Notwithstanding  all  the  limitations 
of  their  age,  they  were  such  m^n  as  broke  down  tyran- 
nies, emancipated  peoples,  and  laid  broad  and  strong  the 
foundations  of  new  nations.  They  did  not  retire  from 
the  midst  of  the  corruption  of  the  world,  and  give  them- 
selves to  ascetic  practices.  They  rather  laid  violent  hands 
upon  the  world,  wrestled  with  its  problems,  combatted 


104  THB  LIFH   OF   THB  CHRISTIAN 

its  corruptions,  and  breathed  into  it  the  very  spirit  of 
life.  Believing  in  God,  they  talked  of  Him,  and  toiled 
for  Him.  Having  seen  the  vision  of  "the  city  that  hath 
the  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God," 
through  strain  and  stress  and  storm,  they  wrought  toward 
the  establishment  upon  this  earth  of  conditions  cor- 
responding thereto.  How  well  they  wrought  the  cen- 
turies have  told.  Let  their  children  ever  be  careful  that 
on  such  foundations  they  build  not  hay,  and  wood,  and 
stubble ;  but  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones. 

Every  devout  Christian  is  in  these  deeper  senses  of  the 
word,  a  Puritan,  not  perhaps  resembling  them  in  some 
of  the  accidental  peculiarities  of  their  age,  but  in  essen- 
tial testimony  borne  to  the  reality  of  the  eternal,  the  un- 
seen, the  spiritual.  A  Christian  then  is  one  who  lives 
among  men,  prosecuting  his  ordinary  business,  or  pro- 
fessional avocation  within  the  spaciousness  of  spiritual 
sight.  A  Christian  will  take  hold  of  every  duty,  and 
fulfill  it,  recognizing  its  relation  to  an  infinite  order.  In 
the  simplest  matters  this  will  be  true.  In  the  selection  of 
a  dwelling  place  the  infinite  will  never  be  lost  sight  of. 
Alas  that  this  should  so  often  be  forgotten,  and  that  by 
those  professing  to  be  Christians.  In  the  choice  of  a 
house  the  principle  of  selection  is  so  constantly  material. 
The  locality,  the  climate,  the  class  of  people  dwelling  in 
the  neighbourhood,  and  so  seldom  the  spiritual,  the  near- 
ness of  the  sanctuary,  the  character  of  the  ministry,  the 
opportunity  for  the  cultivation  of  the  highest  life  of  the 
children.  This  is  not  Christianity,  it  is  rather  civilized 
paganism.  The  true  Christian  will  never  forget  the  mat- 
ter of  supreme  importance.  The  Christian  youth  will 
face  life,  asking  the  same  question  that  all  will  ask.  and 


ITS  VALUE  105 

yet  with  a  different  relation,  and  sense  of  values.  What 
am  I  going  to  do  with  my  life?  is  the  question  of  all 
young  people  sooner  or  later.  But  the  Christian  will  say, 
What  am  I  going  to  do  with  my  life  in  the  light  of  eter- 
nity? How  can  I  make  the  most  of  it  for  God?  That 
is  the  true  principle  of  selection.  It  is  not  unnatural, 
nor  is  it  strained.  To  those  who  judge  only  by  material 
standards  it  may  seem  a  strange  and  unnecessary  ques- 
tion. It  is  the  natural  principle  of  selection  to  the  truly 
Christ-filled  soul.  The  home,  the  calling  in  life,  the 
recreation,  everything  in  short,  is  to  be  decided  upon, 
and  held  in  relation  to  infinite  values  and  realities.  Noth- 
ing is  judged  in  the  light  of  today,  but  all  in  the  light  of 
the  ages  to  come.  The  Christian  stands  forever,  not  in 
the  circumscribed  circle  of  the  passing  hour,  but  in  the 
infinite  circle  of  the  eternal  life.  All  such  as  live  in  this 
conscious  and  manifest  relation  to  the  spiritual  and  un- 
seen will  bear  testimony  to  the  reality  of  the  spiritual; 
and,  indeed,  will  do  more  to  convince  the  world  of  that 
reality  than  all  philosophic  arguments. 

The  value  of  the  life  of  the  Christian  to  God  then  is 
first  of  all  its  testimony  to  the  actuality  and  supremacy 
of  spiritual  things. 

And  yet  the  Christian  life  bears  other  testimony.  It 
is  a  constant  witness  to  the  possibility  of  victory  over 
all  the  evil  in  the  midst  of  which  life  has  to  be  lived. 
There  are  two  phrases  which  are  commonly  heard  on  the 
lips  of  men  of  the  world,  but  which  can  never  be  heard 
by  those  who  are  living  fully  consecrated  Christian  lives, 
save  perchance  in  order  that  their  inference  may  be  de- 
nied. Men  may  constantly  be  heard  speaking  of  "neces- 
sary evils,"  and  declaring  that  "of  two  evils  we  must 


106  THB  LIPB   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 

choose  the  less."  The  Hfe  of  the  Christian  denies  the 
claims  of  both  these  phrases.  There  is  no  such  thing  as 
a  "necessary  evil."  The  conjunction  of  the  words  creates 
a  contradiction  of  terms.  If  evil,  then  not  necessary. 
If  necessary,  then  not  evil.  Nothing  that  is  really  neces- 
sary can  be  evil.  Nothing  that  is  surely  evil  can  be 
necessary.  A  Christian  will  say,  Of  two  evils  I  decline 
to  choose  either.  It  is  a  favourite  device  of  the  enemy  to 
suggest  that  sometimes  only  two  paths  stretch  out  before 
the  Christian,  treading  either  of  which  he  must  be  guilty 
of  some  declination  from  the  line  of  rectitude.  The  true 
Christian  indwelt  by  the  Christ  will  bear  the  testimony 
of  the  Christ,  and  that  is,  that  evil  never  need  be  chosen. 
There  is  always  a  third  alternative.  Let  a  superlative  il- 
lustration help  us  at  this  point.  It  is  often  urged  that 
men  come  to  occasions  where  there  is  no  escape  from 
wrong  doing  in  greater  or  less  degree.  Many  years  ago, 
before  the  Christian  Mission  had  become  the  Salvation 
Army,  and  before  its  evangelists  became  officers,  wear- 
ing uniforms,  William  Booth  was  one  day  travelling  in 
a  railway  carriage,  when  three  men  stepped  in  at  a  way- 
side station,  and  as  the  train  proceeded,  engaged  in  con- 
versation concerning  the  fact  that  they  had  procured  for 
certain  premises  a  license  for  the  sale  of  strong  drink. 
They  spoke  of  the  advantages  of  the  situation,  and  of 
the  great  success  that  was  assured  to  them  in  the  conduct 
of  the  business.  William  Booth  sat  and  listened  until  his 
soul  burned  within  him,  and  then  turning  to  them,  he 
told  them  that  he  had  listened  to  their  conversation  with 
interest,  that  he  had  heard  all  they  had  said  about  the 
advantages  of  the  property  and  the  certainty  of  great 
financial  success.     But,  he  continued,  that  there  were 


ITS  VALUE  107 

things  of  which  he  had  not  heard  them  say  one  word, 
that  would  invariably  be  connected  with  the  conduct  of 
their  business.  He  told  them  they  had  said  nothing  about 
ruined  homes  and  broken  hearts  and  degraded  woman- 
hood and  blighted  children  and  damned  souls.  "All  these 
things,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  ''will  result  from  your  suc- 
cessful business."  Of  course,  an  argument  ensued,  until 
at  last  one  man,  feeling  the  force  of  the  passionate  words 
of  the  earnest  man,  said  in  self-defence,  "But,  Sir,  I  must 
live,  and  I  have  no  other  means  of  livelihood."  The  reply 
of  the  Christian  came  clear  and  sharp,  "My  dear  sir, 
there  is  no  necessity  that  you  should  live  at  all.  The 
one  thing  necessary  is  that  you  should  be  pure,  and  if 
to  keep  your  purity  you  must  die,  then  you  had  better 
die."  That  is  undoubtedly  a  superlative  illustration,  and  yet 
it  is  a  true  illustration  of  the  Christian's  attitude  toward 
evil.  Evil  is  never  necessary,  and  under  no  circum- 
stances need  it  be  chosen.  Sin  is  utterly  useless  to  men 
for  the  fulfillment  of  the  highest  possibilities  of  their 
lives,  and  consequently  is  always  unnecessary.  There 
can  come  no  occasion  when  it  is  needful  to  choose  even 
what  may  be  spoken  of  as  a  "less  evil!"  Death  is  for 
ever  preferable  to  wrongdoing.  That  is  surely  the  mean- 
ing of  the  whole  story  of  the  martyrs  and  confessors  of 
the  past,  and  surely  also  it  is  the  testimony  that  Chris- 
tians should  constantly  bear  in  the  present  age,  and,  in- 
deed, the  testimony  which  they  must  bear,  if  in  them  and 
through  them  Christ  lives  and  works. 

The  value  of  the  life  of  the  Christian  is  that  it,  and 
it  alone,  bears  unequivocal  and  uncompromising  testi- 
mony against  sin.  The  philosophy  of  the  age  which  is 
not  Christian,  is  inclined  to  condone  and  account  for 


108  THU   UFB   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

sin,  speaking  of  it  as  temperamental,  a  process  of  evolu- 
tion, a  continuous  abnormality,  affirming  that  the  degree 
or  nature  of  sin  depends  upon  the  colour  of  a  man's  hair, 
or  the  shape  of  his  head.  A  Christian  life  makes  no  such 
compromise.  It  declares  that  sin  is  devilish,  and  dam- 
nable. It  stands  erect  and  protests  that  death  is  for  ever 
preferable  to  sin  in  any  shape. 

To  bring  this  to  a  more  particular  and  personal  applica- 
tion for  a  moment,  the  Christian  life  bears  testimony  to 
the  possibility  of  victory  over  evil  v^^ithin  the  nature. 
When  the  man  of  the  world  declares  that  righteousness 
and  purity  are  impossible  to  him,  because  of  the  fires  of 
lust  and  passion  which  lie  within  the  very  fibre  of  his 
being,  the  Christian  will  answer.  Such  fires  burned  within 
me  also,  but  ''where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  abound  m.ore 
exceedingly."  The  fires  are  quenched,  the  chain  is 
broken,  and  I  have  been  made  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death  in  the  victorious  energy  of  the  Spirit  of  life. 
The  thing  I  could  not,  now  I  can.  The  thing  I  was  com- 
pelled to  do,  which  yet  I  hated,  now  I  am  enabled  to  do 
no  longer.  I  who  once  was  the  slave  of  passion  am  now 
master  of  passion  in  the  principle  and  power  of  the  Christ 
life.  How  great  and  gracious  is  the  value  of  such  testi- 
mony in  the  midst  of  sense  and  sin-bound  men  and 
women. 

And  yet  once  again,  the  Christian  life  bears  testimony 
to  the  true  balance  of  human  nature,  the  inter-relation- 
ship of  all  the  sides  of  complex  personality.  Christian 
life  is  a  revelation  of  the  fact  that  all  that  God  gives  a 
man  in  the  first  creation  is  realized  in  the  new  birth. 
Everything  that  the  Christian  is  by  the  creation  of  God 
in  his  natural  life,  he  will  continue  to  be  by  the  new  crea- 


ITS  VALUE  109 

tion  of  Christ  through  the  Spirit.  All  men  are  born  into 
the  world  with  fires  and  forces  slumbering  within  them, 
for  the  presence  of  which  God  is  not  responsible.  These 
will  be  quenched  and  broken  by  the  incoming  of  the 
Christ  life,  in  order  that  the  true  man,  according  to  the 
Divine  intention  may  find  himself,  and  be  manifested  to 
the  world.  Thus  it  may  be  repeated  that  everything  that 
God  created  in  individual  life  is  realized  and  crowned  in 
the  life  of  the  Christian. 

All  intellectual  capacities  will  expand  and  grow  in 
Christian  life.  All  artistic  possibilities  will  find  fullest 
and  most  glorious  means  of  manifestation  where  the  life 
is  truly  Christian.  Has  God  bestowed  that  mystic  acute- 
ness  of  hearing  which  becomes  conscious  of  symphonies 
that  ordinary  mortals  never  heard  ?  Christ  will  not  spoil 
the  music,  but  make  possible  its  expression.  In  the  first 
creation  has  God  bestowed  that  quality  of  vision  which 
takes  in  the  landscape's  sweep,  and  holds  in  view  all  its 
delicacy  of  colour  ?  Christ  will  not  spoil  the  picture.  He 
will  rather  free  the  life  from  such  fires  of  passion,  as  being 
allowed  to  burn  will  befog  and  spoil  the  glorious  vision. 
The  Christian  is  one  in  whom  all  the  life  God  created 
is  delivered  from  the  forces  that  spoil,  and  all  its  parts  are 
brought  into  such  cooperative  unity  that  it  shall  bear 
testimony  to  the  perfection  of  the  Divine  ideal.  The  life 
of  the  Christian,  therefore,  testifies  not  merely  to  the 
reality  of  spiritual  things,  but  to  the  influence  of  such 
things  upon  the  material  forces,  and  their  power  to  en- 
noble and  crown  every  side  of  life. 

It  may  now  be  stated  that  the  value  of  Christian  life 
through  such  testimony  is  that  of  positive  activity.  To 
live  thus  is  to  cooperate  with  God.    All  Christian  living 


110  THB  llfB   OF   THE  CHRISTIAN 

is  a  contribution  to  the  well-being  of  the  state,  to  the 
forces  making  for  righteousness  and  love  as  the  regnant 
qualities  in  human  life,  and  so  toward  the  sum  total  of 
God's  final  victory.  Men  do  not  always  recognize  the 
value  of  Christian  life  to  the  well-being  of  the  state, 
though  it  is  indeed  great.  Imagine  for  one  single  moment 
what  would  be  the  issue  if  all  Christian  people  were  taken 
out  of  London,  New  York,  or  any  of  our  cities,  or  from 
the  nations  of  the  world.  Surely  the  Master  understood 
perfectly  the  true  value  of  His  own  teaching  when  obeyed 
in  the  lives  of  men;  and  He  said  to  the  little  band  of 
disciples,  who,  submissive  to  His  authority,  were  realiz- 
ing His  purposes,  "Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  . 
ye  are  the  light  of  the  world."  Every  Christian  life  is 
of  the  nature  of  salt,  antispetic,  purifying,  preventing  the 
spread  of  corruption.  Every  Christian  life  is  light,  shin- 
ing in  a  dark  place,  and  the  whole  company  of  the 
Church  in  the  world  at  any  given  moment  creates  a 
light  that  men  most  need  in  the  darkness  of  sorrow  and 
of  sin.  Salt  never  forms  an  association  to  purify  any- 
thing, but  it  purifies  everything,  and  this  simply  by  being 
salt.  The  light  beams  never  form  a  society  of  any  kind, 
but  they  illuminate,  and  this  simply  by  shining.  The 
Christian  life  is  salt,  and  therefore  it  purifies.  It  is  light 
and  therefore  it  illuminates.  All  Christians  are  not  called 
to  preach,  nor  even  to  teach,  nor  yet  to  hold  official  posi- 
tions within  the  Church,  but  all  are  called  to  live.  The 
life  of  the  Christian  must  prevent  impurity.  If  you  are 
indeed  a  Christian,  then  when  you  enter  the  room  some 
kinds  of  conversation  must  cease,  not  because  it  is  ex- 
pected you  will  rebuke  it  in  words  even  if  you  heard  it, 
but  because  of  what  you  are.    That  is  a  simple  illustration 


ITS  VALUE  111 

of  the  great  principle.  The  Christian  Hfe  is  light  more- 
over, falling  everywhere  upon  the  darkness,  revealing  it, 
and  yet  revealing  it  only  as  it  passes,  dissipated  by  the 
shining.  It  is  in  the  shining  of  the  light  that  the  great 
work  is  accomplished.  Occasions  will  arise  where  sin 
must  be  rebuked  by  actual  speech,  but  the  forcefulness 
of  the  rebuke  will  be  created  by  the  shining  of  the  life. 
Occasions  will  arise  where  tender  words  of  sympathy 
will  be  spoken  to  the  soul  distressed,  and  yet  the  words 
will  come  as  balm  in  proportion  to  the  shining  of  the 
quiet  life,  or  of  the  life  itself  comforted  with  the  com- 
fort of  God. 

George  Campbell,  one  of  the  sweetest  of  Christian 
men,  who  devoted  his  life  very  largely  to  the  work  of 
temperance  reform,  once  administered  a  rebuke  on  a  pub- 
lic platform  of  the  severest  kind.  An  avowed  atheist  who 
had  spoken  before  him  in  the  interests  of  temperance,  ap- 
pealed to  the  strength  of  human  will  for  the  overcoming 
of  the  appetite  for  drink,  and  referring  to  the  uselessness 
of  any  aid  outside  a  man's  will.  In  a  contemptuous  aside 
he  said,  "The  man  who  invented  gas  has  done  more  for 
the  human  race  than  alf  the  preachers  of  Christianity." 
When  George  Campbell  rose  to  address  the  meeting  he 
began  by  saying,  "I  have  been  interested  to  hear  my 
friend's  opinion  of  what  benefits  humanity.  If  tomorrow 
I  should  be  plunged  in  sorrow,  or  should  find  myself 
approaching  the  end  of  this  brief  life,  I  should  desire 
some  preacher  of  the  Cross  to  tell  me  again  its  story  for 
my  comfort  and  my  strength.  I  presume  that  my  friend 
under  similar  circumstances  would  send  for  the  gasfitter !" 
The  rebuke  was  sharp,  and  severe,  but  the  power  of  it  to 
the  audience  who  heard  it  was  created  by  what  they  knew 


112  run   UPB   OF   THE   CHRISTIAN 

of  the  cliaracter  of  George  Campbell.  His  life  was  salt, 
and  his  speech,  therefore,  seasoned  with  it,  was  anti- 
septic. His  life  was  light,  and  his  words  also  were  spirit 
and  life. 

Thus  it  is  true  that  the  Christian  life  is  one  of  co- 
operative activity  with  God.  Every  Christian  life  is  a 
contribution  to  the  force  that  makes  for  righteousness 
and  makes  for  love ;  and  wherever  man,  woman,  or  child 
lives  in  true  relation  to  Christ,  there  is  being  exerted  by 
such  life  a  part  of  that  mighty  energy  of  God  in  Christ, 
whereby  at  last  He  will  heal  all  wounds,  and  dry  all 
tears,  and  build  the  city  for  which  men  have  looked 
through  long  centuries,  the  city  in  which  there  shall  be 
no  evil  thing. 

And  yet  once  more.  The  Christian  life  is  a  vindication 
of  God  in  the  midst  of  a  skeptical  and  unbelieving  age. 
Men  standing  outside  the  realm  of  personal  loyalty  to 
Him,  can  never  understand  His  method  because  they  do 
not  understand  His  purpose.  The  result  is  ever  that  of 
criticism  and  opposition.  "The  mind  of  the  flesh  is  enmity 
against  God."  It  questions  the  wisdom  of  His  action  be- 
cause it  does  not  know  the  reason  thereof.  The  Chris- 
tian knows  God's  purpose,  and  therefore  trusts  His 
method.  I  do  not  say  that  the  method  is  always  under- 
stood, but  by  the  Christian  soul  it  is  resolutely  set  in  the 
light  of  the  sure  purpose  of  God,  which  is  our  perfecting. 
Then  through  the  method  of  the  fire,  and  of  the  testing, 
and  of  the  discipline  the  Christian  passes  with  songs  of 
triumph  and  of  testimony,  and  so  God  is  vindicated  in  the 
face  of  the  criticism  and  the  unbelief  of  the  age.  Chris- 
tian men  and  women  in  conduct  issuing  from  character, 
both  of  which  are  admirable  in  the  eyes  of  the  world, 


ITS  VALUE  113 

vindicate  the  method  of  God  as  they  contribute  to  the 
understanding  of  His  purpose.  In  them  His  thought  is 
seen  to  be  a  hedge  of  love ;  and  the  fires  of  testing  and  of 
trial  are  revealed  as  gracious  messengers  which  never 
burn  the  pure  gold,  but  destroy  only  the  dross.  Thus  a 
Christian,  who,  in  the  midst  of  suffering  is  patient  and 
full  of  a  quiet  peace  and  joy,  is  vindicating  God  against 
all  the  criticism  of  half-blind  philosophy. 

In  this  fact  there  is  at  least  a  partial  solution  of  the 
mystery  of  the  suffering  of  the  saints.  When  the  morn- 
ing dawns,  and  the  mists  have  rolled  from  the  valleys, 
and  life  is  seen  in  the  light  of  the  eternal  purpose  and 
counsel,  then  it  will  be  known  that  suffering  was  often 
highest  service;  and  that  passing  along  the  pathway  of 
pain,  while  yet  maintaining  a  quiet  trust,  the  life  was 
preaching  of  God  to  an  unbelieving  age  in  a  way  more 
powerful  than  any  possible  save  to  such  suffering. 

It  is  impossible  to  live  the  life  of  quiet  calm  trust  in 
God  in  the  midst  of  the  turmoil  and  unrest  of  this  feverish 
age  without  creating  an  atmosphere  of  quietness  and 
peace  of  which  all  will  become  conscious.  The  atmos- 
phere is  a  vindication  of  God,  for  it  results  from  trust 
implicitly  reposed  in  Him.  We  have  never  looked  upon 
the  courageous  confidence  of  some  sorrowing  saint  who 
through  all  the  painful  process  has  evidenced  a  quiet 
strength  and  a  great  heart  satisfaction,  without  having 
realized  that  God's  methods  were  vindicated  in  His  chil- 
dren. 

For  these  purposes  Christians  exist.  The  value  of 
every  Christian  life  is  that  of  positive  and  powerful  testi- 
mony to  the  reality  of  the  spiritual,  the  possibility  of  vic- 
tory over  evil,  and  the  beauty  of  the  Divine  ideal  in  hu- 


114  THB  LIFB   OF  THB  CHRISTIAN 

man  life.     This  testimony  is  in  itself  of  the  nature  of 
powerful  fellowship  in  activity  with  God. 

And  finally  wherever  the  Christian  life  is  clearly  seen, 
it  becomes  an  argument  vindicating  God  against  all  the 
criticisms  of  unbelief.  Christianity  is  infinitely  more  than 
the  salvation  of  the  individual.  It  is  that,  but  with  the 
larger  purpose  of  creating  an  influence,  exerting  an  opin- 
ion, and  encompassing  an  end.  The  goal  toward  which 
Christ  moved  was  the  setting  up  of  the  Kingship  of  God, 
and  the  restoration  of  a  lost  order.  All  such  as  share  His 
life  have  that  same  goal  in  view.  The  whole  creation 
groans  in  its  limitation,  and  waits  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  sons  of  God.  Every  such  present  manifestation 
is  a  contribution  to  the  breaking  of  humanity's  bonds, 
the  ending  of  the  race's  limitation,  and  the  changing  of 
groaning  into  acclamation  and  worship. 


By  Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer 


The  Shepherd  Psainu  Illustrated.  Printed  in  two 
colors.  i2mo,  cloth,  gilt  top,  boxed,  $1.25 ;  full  gilt, 
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Paul :  a  Servant  of  Jesus  Christ  i2mo,  cloth,  $1 .00. 
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David.  Israel.  Joseph.  Moses. 

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The  Shepherd  Psalm       Through  Fire  and  Flood. 
Christian  Living.  The  Glorious  Lord. 

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The  Future  Tenses  Key  Words  to  the  Inner  Life. 

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Latest  Works. 
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John  the  Baptist. 

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The  second  volume  of  New  Testament  characters  includes 
the  following :  John  the  Baptist ;  The  First  Ministry  of  the 
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Thou  He?  None  Greater  than  John  the  Baptist,  yet...,;  The 
Manifestation  of  the  Messiah,  etc.,  etc. 

"A  fascinating  study  of  one  of  the  New  Testament  heroes.  It 
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—N.  V.  Observer. 

Paul :  A  Servant  of  Jesus  Christ. 

i2mo,  cloth,  $1.00. 

"  Mr.  Meyer  holds  in  his  hand  the  key  to  his  reader's  heart  and 
conscience.  He  speaks  to  conscience  with  a  kind  of  authority 
which  it  is  not  easy  to  analyze  and  yet  harder  to  resist.  In  this 
volume  he  follows  Paul's  life  through  in  a  series  of  topics,  every 
one  of  which  is  rich  in  food  for  the  Christian  life." — The  Inde- 
pendent.   ^ 

Old  Testament  Heroes. 

Zechariah:  The  Prophet  of  Hope. 

i2mo,  cloth,  $1.00. 

"  Mr.  Meyer  is  never  more  delightful  than  when  he  Is  interpre- 
ting the  scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament,  He  throws  a  tender- 
ness into  them,  and  a  depth  of  meaning  that  the  casual  reader 
cannot  see.  We  need  this  searchlight  on  some  of  the  old  pro- 
phecies. We  are  sure  that  after  reading  it,  the  reader  will  have 
an  acquaintance  with  this  prophet  and  his  message  that  he  never 
had  before.... The  visions  of  the  prophet  are  beautifully  inter- 
preted....We  can  recommend  this  book  most  heartily  to  the 
thoughtful  Bible  sinAQnty— Christian  Observer. 

Saved  and  Kept. 
Counsels  to  Young  Believers.     Long  i6mo,  cloth,  50c. 

"  It  contains  twenty-three  short  addresses,  earnest,  direct  and 
spiritual,  as  everything  that  comes  from  the  pen  of  this  devoted 

greacher.  He  writes  the  preface  on  his  fiftieth  birthday,  and  as 
e  reviews  the  past,  he  longs  to  utilize  the  lessons  and  warnings 
of  his  life  for  the  benefit  of  his  younger  brothers  and  sisters  on 
each  side  of  the  Atlantic."— TAi?  Evangelist. 

Cheer  for  Life's  Pilgrimage. 

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"  This  little  book  is  one  of  the  author's  cheery  helps  for  the 
pilgrim  in  his  life's  journey.  Like  sweet  songs  his  words  soothe 
and  comfort  and  strengthen  the  heart,  and  help  it  to  go  for- 
ward, whether  in  the  peaceful  home,  or  among  the  temptations  of 
the  world.  Would  that  Christians  had,  or  could  give,  more  time 
to  such  devotional  and  upbuilding  reading."— 7%^  Christian 
Observtr^ 


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memorial  of  the  wedding  ceremony  and  to  promote  the  highest 
happiness  of  those  united.  A  marriage  certificate,  to  be  filled 
out,  is  in  place  of  a  frontispiece.  In  a  neat  box," — TAe  Congrt» 
Rationalist. 

Mr.  Meyer's  Masterpiece. 
CXtr  Daily  Homily;  Genesis  to  Revelation* 

Five  vols.,  i6mo,cloth,  each,  75c.  The  set,  boxed,  $3.75. 

Through  the  Bible,  Chapter  by  Chapter, 

Vol.      I.    Genesis  to  Ruth. 

Vol.    II.    Samuel  to  Job. 

Vol.  III.    Psalms  to  Songs  of  Solomon. 

Vol.    IV.    Isaiah  to  Malachi, 

Vol.     V.     Matthew  to  Revelation. 

The  author  has  selected  from  each  chapter  of  the  Bible  a  key- 
note which  epitomizes  the  thought  and  teaching  of  the  entire 
chapter.  Upon  this  basis  he  has  constructed  brief  homilies, 
which,  in  their  entirety,  constitute  an  exposition  of  the  most 
important  facts  and  doctrines  of  Holy  Scripture. 

"  These  Homilies  are  in  general  to  be  reckoned  among  the  best 
things  from  their  author's  pen." — The  Outlook, 

Meet  for  the  Master^s  Use* 
i2mo,  paper,  15c.     Cloth,  net,  30c. 

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then  proceeds  with  teachings  conceming  the  Christian  life." — 
The  S.  S.  Times. 

A  Castaway,  and  Other  Addresses* 
i2mo,  paper,  15c.;    cloth,  net  30c. 

"  Contains  the  sermons  delivered  by  Mr.  Meyer  in  New  York, 
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this  country  last  winter.  They  treat  of  the  hindrances  to 
spiritual  growth  and  power,  of  the  evil  of  the  natural  heart,  so 
hard  to  overcome,  of  the  only  way  of  curing  this  evil  by  getting 
Christ  into  the  heart,  of  the  work  of  Christ  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  of  the  possibilities  of  the  blessed  life  to  which  the 
writer  urgently  summons  bis  readers." — The  Sunday  School 
Times. 

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_  "  Though  the  book  is  a  little  one,  it  carries  much  more  consola- 
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does  not  remand  sorrow  to  an  imaginary  realm,  but  facing  it  in 
all  its  wearisomeness,  he  shows  how  faith  in  Christ  enables  one  to 
bear  it  and  profit  by  it." — The  Congregationalist^ 


WORKS  BY  HANNAH 

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Date  Due                       1 

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Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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